Reaching out to a therapist. Sometimes it is an act of desperation. Sometimes you’re doing it to get your family off your back. Maybe everything else you’ve tried just hasn’t worked. No matter what causes you to consider therapy, here are some things that might help you wrap your mind around and prepare for that first meeting.

• Deep breath. When you make the call, you’ll set up the first meeting. The first meeting is called an Intake. Basically, you’ll sit there feeling under the microscope while you answer questions and explain what is going on. But here’s the good news: most therapists are really nice. Most therapists and psychologists go into the biz because they want to be helpful. We like people.
• Write out a list of things you want to get out of seeing a therapist. These will help form the therapy goals you and your therapist set and focus on what you want to get out of it.
• Ask Questions. Let’s be honest, shall we? The therapist is there during your session time for you. You are hiring this person as a consultant, a collaborator, an advisor. It is perfectly OK to ask questions to make sure it is the right fit for you. Some questions might be: What is your style with clients? What types of therapy do you use? Do you tend to give homework?
• Tissues, please. Expect that unpacking of your history or feelings can be a little messy at first. For some people, it’s emotional to tap into the feelings of what is going on. For others, this may be the first time they are talking to someone about any of it. Therapy is a process. We get that. It gets easier as you go.

If you’ve tried everything else you can think of to address your anxiety, anger, depression, etc., and you’re still not feeling better, then REACH OUT! Get Started – Oak Point Counseling