If you have just set your first appointment for therapy. It may be your very first session. Or maybe you’ve talked to someone in the past and are about to see a new therapist. Even if you know your approach is positive, you may still be apprehensive. Today lets know more about the questions your therapist may ask you
It’s normal to be nervous! For the first time, you are going to meet someone who is likely to ask you some really personal and emotionally sensitive questions and with whom you are supposed to be honest and open, Pinkymind, Online Counselling App tells that “It’s a very unnatural and stressful situation, and as therapists, we try to be sensitive to it.”
In order to help you calmly approach your first appointment, we asked therapists to share the subjects discussed with their patients during the first session. These mental health professionals explain what you need to know to start (or resume) therapy on the right foot.
Before your first consultation, he will probably send you administrative documents to fill out. Among them, you will find a questionnaire in which you will be asked for your contact details, your medical history (including current treatments), if you have ever had any treatment relating to your mental health in the past, the problems you currently suffer from or the stressors you are having, as well as your expectations for therapy.
Your therapist will review your answers and may ask you to flesh them out during your first session. Here are some of the questions your therapist may ask you.
1. What made you want to go for therapy today?
Your therapist wants to know if there was anything in your life that prompted you to make an appointment at that time. This can be a difficult breakup, conflict with a family member, an unmanageable level of anxiety, a sexual assault, or some other major change, such as becoming a parent or embarking on a new career.
2. How did you manage the problem that led you to undergo therapy?
Online Psychologists asks this question to new patients in order to understand the way they cope with stressful situations and difficult emotions. Do they turn to something constructive like meditation or outdoor activities? Or do they rely on unhealthy habits such as excessive alcohol or drug use?
3. Have you ever had therapy in the past?
If you’ve seen a professional before, chances are you’ve enjoyed some things more than others. Your current therapist can use this information to treat you as effectively as possible
4. How was your childhood with your family?
Many people start therapy to get to know each other better and to better understand their relationships with others. Knowing more about a patient’s childhood and family dynamics can provide insight into who they are today
5. Have you ever thought of harming or killing yourself?
These types of questions can spark difficult emotions in people who have had suicidal thoughts or have a history of self-harm, but it is crucial that your therapist knows this information from the start.
6. How close do you feel to those around you?
Loneliness can have serious consequences for your physical and mental health. Your therapist will therefore want to know if you have a strong support network. If not, it can help you develop one.
7. What do you hope to achieve with this therapy?
It is useful to dig into this question during the first session to know the patient’s expectations and to help them better understand the process of change brought about by the therapy,
