What can I expect during my first session?
The first session is an essential step in setting yourself up for success. If you’ve never attended counseling before, there are many areas the therapist legally needs to cover with you before you can start to process what brought you to therapy. We understand that can be difficult when even coming to the first session can be the hardest step. Here is what your therapist will cover with you:
1. Confidentiality
2. Practice policies, like what to do in an emergency, the best way to contact your therapist, financial agreements, the cancellation policy, and how to make appointments.
3. The forms we sent and you completed. Please make sure to complete all of your forms ahead of your first session. This is important for legal reasons and to help the therapist have an idea of the best way to support you.
4. Your expectations for therapy and what you can expect from your therapist. It is important to make sure that expectations are very clear on both sides, so that your work can be successful. We want all of our clients have a great experience when seeking support, but if the therapist doesn’t know what you’re expecting and if they can meet those expectations that can cause conflict down the road.
5. What you want for yourself. This is a difficult question and it is absolutely okay to not know immediately what that is. We don’t expect you to, which is part of our work together. We want to help you learn, grow, and fully realize your authentic self and what that means for you.
The relationship you have with your therapist is priority. It creates trust, positive communication, and the ability to do deeper work, which is why you came to us. You might notice in those first few sessions, your therapist may not have any initial recommendations because they are taking time to get to know you and build trust and connection. We feel it is incredibly important to take time to connect with our clients in the beginning, rather than throwing out interventions that may or may not be helpful for you, which can often lead to frustration. We cater our work to each client and their individual needs, rather than treating someone as a diagnosis or forcing a specific therapeutic model onto them. You are a person, not a diagnosis.
We encourage collaboration with our clients, so please do not hesitate to let your clinician know if something they are doing isn’t working for you or if it is not what you are wanting. Our focus is to help you discover what it is that you really want for yourself in your life and help you find a way to get there. However, we also understand that not every therapist is going to be the best fit for every client, as much as we might want that to be the case. Please speak to your therapist if there are concerns or changes that need to be made. If we are unable to accommodate you, we are happy to give referrals to someone who will meet your needs. Our priority is that you get the care you need, even if that is not with us.
Where do I park? How do I find your office? Where are the restrooms located? What do I do when I get there? Is there water available?
Our building has 2 garages, one on either side, East and West. The garage closest to 610 is the East garage and the one furthest from 610 is the West garage. There are also 3 lobbies, each with a set of elevators. We recommend parking in the East garage. It is the easiest garage to turn into and leave from, especially during times of traffic. There are restrooms located on each floor behind or across from the elevators. Take the first set of elevators you see to the 4th floor, turn left at the hallway, and walk until you see 435W on your left. We're closer to the middle of the building so it may feel like a long walk. We have a sign with our logo next to the door as well as a logo film on the door to the waiting room.
When you arrive, please come in, tap on the screen of the tablet on the wall, tap on your clinician’s name, type in your initials, then tap notify. Your therapist will receive a text letting them know you have arrived and will come get you. Please keep in mind that sessions can run over at times, but your therapist should get you within about 5 minutes of the start of your session. We encourage you to take a moment to settle, enjoy the soothing music, and help yourself to a mint or lifesaver. We do have a water and hot tea station further inside the suite, so please do not hesitate to let your therapist know you would like some refreshment. We have 8 kinds of tea with raw sugar, stevia, and honey spoons available to adapt to your taste.