Hey everyone! I just wanted to update for everyone following me on my mental health journey.
I went to my new therapist office last month and I want to give a rundown on what happened Incase anyone is thinking of going to therapy, but don’t know where to start, this is for you.
First, make an appointment. This is an easy step, right? Well, you would think it is, but I stalled doing it for quite a while. I don’t know why, probably because I was nervous to get back into therapy and all the ‘what ifs’ were coming into play. I had to just stop thinking and pick up the phone. Once you make the appointment, the hard part is done and you will feel better already because you are being proactive about your mental health.
After all, you’re doing this for you. This is about you and it’s always a good thing to put your health first, mental or physical.
So after I made the appointment, I did feel loads better and when the day came to go, I was a little excited, a tad nervous, but I quickly got over it once I entered the office and they gave me a pile of paperwork to fill out.
This is probably going to take up half of the first visit. Filling out insurance papers and all your medical history, parents, siblings medical history regarding mental health. Who to call Incase of emergency, you know, the usual stuff. After that, they asked a few questions on the paper about what religion I subscribe too and if I had any religious or spiritual goals as it were, I don’t know if this will be on your therapist’s agenda. It probably won’t, but if it is, you can always check no, if you are atheist or agnostic.
They also asked what were 4 major life events that I felt negatively impacted me. Again, this may not be on your paperwork, but it is for some therapists, so they can get to know a little about you.
After I filled out the paperwork, my therapist came out and we went back into her office where there was a couch with pillows. You don’t have to lie down by the way, you can totally sit up and talk. She then went on to tell me the rules, or expectations they have and what is expected, on both sides. I had to sign 3 papers about this. It is basically about confidentiality and being on time, stuff like that.
My first visit was 90 minutes total and really it was mostly about the paperwork, but this may not be the case with yours. It is still a good idea to have all your insurance and medical history info on hand so you can get though this stuff with ease.
My second appointment was made a week later, which was not what I was used to because I have usually go once a month, but that was when I went to psychiatrists. This is talk therapy and the more you go, the more progress you make.
Second appointment was an hour as the rest are expected to be. By the second appointment I was comfortable with my therapist and didn’t have a problem talking. That is my personality though, not everyone is chatty and you don’t have to be. Your therapist will know what to say to make you feel comfortable. Do not worry. I would add though, the more honest and open you are with your therapist, the more they can help you.
And that is why you started therapy in the first place, right?
Anyway, I hope this helped someone if they are on the fence about going to therapy, it’s really a positive thing and I truly believe in it. I hope that I shed some light on how the first visit goes and how easy it really all is to get on the road to a better more productive you.
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