In our first session, we will start with a brief welcome and introduction. I will then go over all the legal details and share a bit about myself as a therapist, which will take approximately 15 minutes. I will make space for any questions or concerns you may have. I will ask how you’re feeling in the moment and about your feelings on starting therapy. People show up in many different ways—some feel relieved and excited, others feel tired or neutral, and some may feel scared or overwhelmed and can’t stop crying. Whatever your experience, it’s okay. After going over the technical details, I will ask questions to get to know you better. In the first few sessions, I may ask many direct questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of your life and what brings you to therapy. We will also talk about what you hope to get out of therapy and how we will measure progress.

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What to expect from ongoing sessions

This will, of course, depend on you. As mentioned, I don’t believe one approach works for everyone. However, in general, I tend to open each session by inviting you to share what’s been on your mind or what you’d like to focus on that day. It’s perfectly fine if you’re unsure or if answering that question is difficult. If needed, I can ask more directed questions, revisit past topics, or explore a specific tool or skill with you.

For some clients, when it is desired, I implement a more structured approach to our sessions. For example, we might begin or end each session with a grounding, breathing, or mindfulness exercise, or I might recap what we’ve been working on. This will depend on what feels right for you and what works best. We can always adjust the flow of our sessions as we go.

Sometimes therapy can be challenging, especially when working on trauma, dealing with difficult recent events, or engaging in more involved IFS interventions. Therapy can also be enjoyable! I genuinely enjoy working with each person I see, and I bring that energy to our sessions.