Your first therapy session

Looking for a therapist can be a daunting task. This page sets out what happens between your first enquiry and your first session.

Before the session

You can get in touch by contact form, phone, email or WhatsApp. I usually reply within 24 hours. Please be assured that anything you tell me is confidential from the very first message. Once we have made contact we will find a day and time that suits you, in person or online.

If you would rather talk before committing to anything, I also offer a free 15-minute consultation call, by telephone or over Zoom. It is a chance to talk about what is bringing you to therapy and what you are looking for, separate from the first session itself, and there is no obligation to book afterwards.

What the first session is like

There is no script and nothing you need to get right. It is an informal conversation rather than an assessment. I will ask what has brought you to therapy and you are free to ask me whatever you want to know about how I work. As much as anything, a first session is your chance to find out whether I seem like the right person to talk to. Nothing about it commits you to coming back.

Agreeing how we'll work

If it feels like a good fit, we will talk about what comes next: how often to meet, and roughly what you are hoping for. Some people arrive with something specific in mind. Others would rather leave it open and see where it goes. Nothing is fixed at the outset and it is entirely normal to revisit it as things develop. Session length and cost are set out on the fees page, and there is more on the thinking behind how I work on the approach page.