I’m nervous about starting therapy. Is that normal?

Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can feel intimidating to sit with someone and talk about how you feel or what you’ve been through. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Going to therapy even when you are nervous is not easy. It may take courage to take those steps. You reading this now shows that you are already stepping in the right direction.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.

I’m here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.

How do I know if you are the right therapist for me?

Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can email me.

During a free phone consultation, you can ask me what a typical session with me is like, ask how I work as a therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific-to-you. You’ll also be able to share about what is bringing you to look for a therapist at this time. and we can decide together how I can help.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to start to experience how it feels to work with a therapist like me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

What if I don’t want to talk about something?

If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that’s actually very normal. It can often feel difficult to talk about some things.. During our sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. It’s my job to give you space to slowly start to work through the tough stuff. Gradually and at a pace that feels comfortable to you, you can share what you feel ready to.

You can also share with me that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you. Whatever you are going through. Bring that to session and we can explore that together.

I’m scared that if I open up, you will think I’m too sensitive.

If you open up to me, I will not think you are too sensitive, I will think you are extremely brave and strong. Many of my clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are too much).

You’re not being dramatic or “too much.” Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you.

I know many of us are overwhelmed, we all struggle, we all suffer in different ways.

Whatever it is you’re going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgement

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

It can be concerning feeling like things you say or do in therapy could “get out.” So I want you to know that unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else, everything you share with me is completely confidential

I highly respect your privacy and value your trust.

You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out.

If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask during your free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.

How long will therapy take?

You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you think that therapy will be an overwhelming, lengthy process.

If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing small amounts of growth after the first a few sessions.

By that point, they they feel like they have learned some ways to manage challenges in their lives a bit better

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 6-12 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.

We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

What can I expect during the first session?

Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which we start getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.

Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:

• What brought you to therapy?
• Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
• What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about about why I’m a therapist or how I’ve helped other clients like you.

The most important part of a first session is that you get a sense if I’m a good fit for you. If you feel supported, seen, and at-ease with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

How can I get started?

I’m here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share about what is bringing you to look for a therapist at this time. We can decide together how I can help.

Email me today to get your free phone consultation at contact@therapywithhlt.com.