What to expect from your first session: A guide to starting CBT or EMDR

It’s completely normal to wonder what your first therapy session will be like. If you haven’t tried therapy before, or if you’ve tried other types of therapy but not Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), it can feel like a bit of a mystery. As a CBT and EMDR therapist, my goal is to make sure that the process feels as safe, clear, and supportive as possible.

Starting your first therapy session

The first session is about getting to know each other and understanding what has brought you to therapy. We’ll start with some brief introductions, and a short chat about confidentiality – how your information is kept private and what the limits of confidentiality are. I’ll also check if you have any questions before we get started.

Talking about what brings you to therapy

I will invite you to tell me what has brought you to therapy. Some people talk about the timeline of events that have led them to feel low, anxious, or distressed. Others begin by talking about what is troubling them most right now, including the thoughts, emotions, or situations that feel the hardest to cope with.

There is no right or wrong way to start. You can begin wherever feels most comfortable for you.

Understanding your story

During these first sessions, I’ll explore both what’s happening for you in the present, and some of your background or history. This helps me to start to understand what keeps you feeling stuck, and how we might begin to help you to start making changes.

Talking about safety and support

As part of every first therapy session, I’ll carry out a brief risk assessment. This is simply a conversation to check how safe you’re feeling - whether you are having any thoughts about hurting yourself or others, or if there are situations in your life that feel risky or unsafe. We might talk about things like suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and your ability to care for yourself (and others if relevant).

We’ll also talk about what helps you cope and stay safe. The idea of this conversation is not to judge you, but to make sure that you have the support and resources that you need.

What you share stays confidential, unless there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else.

Setting goals for therapy

Towards the end of the session, we’ll talk about what you’d like to get out of therapy and what life might look like for you if therapy is helpful. I’ll explain how CBT and EMDR work, and how each approach might help with your specific challenges.

Some people know right away which type of therapy feels like the best fit, others prefer to take some time to think about it. Either approach is absolutely fine.

Taking the first step

Starting therapy can feel like a daunting step, but it is also the first step to making meaningful change. Your first therapy session is simply a space to begin exploring what is going on for you and to see how we might work together to help you to feel better.

If you’re thinking about beginning therapy, feel free to get in touch to arrange a free intro call or to ask any questions. You don’t need to have everything figured out before we start, just a willingness to get started!