{"id":595,"date":"2026-05-03T19:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T19:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/?p=595"},"modified":"2026-05-12T18:08:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T18:08:00","slug":"first-counselling-session-what-to-expect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/fr\/first-counselling-session-what-to-expect\/","title":{"rendered":"What should I expect during my first counselling session? (Cheshire guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re thinking about starting counselling, it\u2019s completely normal to feel unsure about the first session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might be wondering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><em>What am I supposed to say?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><em>Will it be awkward?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><em>Am I going to be judged?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><em>Do I need to have everything figured out beforehand?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Short answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your first counselling session is usually a fairly relaxed conversation where we go over a few practical details, and then gently explore what\u2019s brought you to therapy. It is all at your pace, with no pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I need to prepare for my first counselling session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need notes, or to be able to explain perfectly what\u2019s happening.<br>You don\u2019t even need to know exactly why you\u2019re here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot of people arrive feeling nervous and unsure what to expect, and that\u2019s completely normal. Part of my job is to help to put you at ease \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re still unsure whether therapy is right for you, you might find this helpful:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/fr\/how-do-i-know-if-counselling-is-right-for-me\/\">\ud83d\udc49 <strong>How to know if counselling is right for you<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What <em>actually happens<\/em> in the first counselling session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. A normal, human welcome<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ll greet you like a normal person (because I am one), and we\u2019ll just talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not taking notes, and I\u2019m not interrogating you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a friendly conversation, and maybe a brew whilst you settle in and we get to know each other a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Going through the practical bits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a little bit of \u201cofficial stuff\u201d to cover, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">confidentiality (and its limits, which often surprises people, sometimes enough to get a laugh)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">how sessions work (length, format, frequency)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">my membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and what that means for you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll usually have already had a copy of this, but there\u2019s no pressure to have memorised (or even read) it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want a clearer idea of how I work, you can read more here:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/fr\/counselling-in-sandbach-and-online\/\">\ud83d\udc49 <strong>Counselling in Cheshire \u2013 how I work<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. A conversation about what\u2019s brought you here<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once the practical bits are out of the way, I\u2019ll usually ask something like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><em>What brought you to counselling?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><em>What are you hoping might change?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><em>Do you have a sense of how many sessions you\u2019d like?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And from there, you\u2019ll pretty much take the lead and set the pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some people talk a lot.<br>Some people don\u2019t know where to start.<br>Some people want questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some people cry.<br>Some people don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of it is completely valid, there\u2019s no \u2018right\u2019 way to do therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I have to tell my whole story in the first session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t have to tell me everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Believe it or not, you don\u2019t even have to tell me what has happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the deepest early sessions I remember was with a client who didn\u2019t want to share the details of what had happened, only how they felt about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it was <em>incredibly<\/em> powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So even if all you have is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">\u201cI don\u2019t know where to start\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">a feeling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">a vague sense that something isn\u2019t right<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s enough to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Will my therapist judge me?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is one of the biggest fears people bring into therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And honestly, we\u2019re human. We all make judgements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But here\u2019s what matters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve done a lot of work on understanding my own reactions, biases, and assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So whatever you bring into the room, I\u2019m not sitting there deciding whether you\u2019re a \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019 person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m listening to understand your perspective, aiming to put myself in your shoes to get an idea of how things are for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If worrying about being judged is something that shows up a lot for you, then watch this space \u2013 blog post on this topic coming soon\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if I don\u2019t like my therapist?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s OK \u2013 you\u2019re allowed to dislike them, and to swap and change until you find someone you do like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, it\u2019s <strong><em>really important<\/em><\/strong> that you feel comfortable with your therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The relationship between you and your therapist is one of the biggest factors in how much therapy actually helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I\u2019ll always say this clearly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If I\u2019m not the right fit for you, that\u2019s okay.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re allowed to choose someone else, and I won\u2019t be offended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Can I disagree with my therapist?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes! In fact, please do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I say something that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">doesn\u2019t land<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">feels off<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">annoys you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">or even upsets you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re allowed to say that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That kind of honesty can actually be really important in therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because most of us haven\u2019t learned how to say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat didn\u2019t feel right for me\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or how to repair things when a relationship wobbles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therapy is a safe place to practice that, and I\u2019m here for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if I feel like I\u2019m \u201cnot bad enough\u201d for therapy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This comes up more than you\u2019d think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some people worry they\u2019re taking up space that someone else might need more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly, you\u2019re not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If something has brought you to therapy, that\u2019s enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re allowed to be here. You aren\u2019t wasting my time. I want to help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What makes a good first counselling session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First sessions aren\u2019t about having a breakthrough, or figuring everything out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good first session is much simpler than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You leave feeling like you might want to come back.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That you felt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">safe enough<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">understood enough<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">comfortable enough<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To think:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOkay\u2026 maybe I can do this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your first counselling session isn\u2019t a test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need to impress me.<br>You don\u2019t need the \u2018right\u2019 words.<br>You don\u2019t need to know exactly what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You just need to show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything else, we can figure out together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Counselling in Cheshire \u2013 next steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re based in Cheshire and thinking about starting counselling, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">\ud83d\udc49 Read more about my approach: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/fr\/\">counselling in Cheshire<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carrynwilliams.com\/fr\/contact\/\">\ud83d\udc49 Get in touch for an initial chat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>FAQs about your first counselling session<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How long is a first counselling session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most sessions last around 50 minutes. The first session may include some practical discussion alongside the therapy itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I need to bring anything to counselling?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. You don\u2019t need to prepare or bring notes unless you want to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if I get emotional in my first session?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s completely okay and also there\u2019s no expectation that you will. People respond in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What if I don\u2019t know what to say?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s very common. Your therapist will help guide the conversation gently if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many sessions will I need?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It depends. Some people come for a set number of sessions, while others prefer a more open-ended approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Can I stop counselling at any time?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. You\u2019re always in control of whether you continue.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A short-ish guide to what to expect from your first therapy session, and what you and don&#8217;t need to have figured out in advance. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Oh here we go again with the blog posts! This time it's what to expect from your first counselling session, and what you don't need to worry about :-)","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-do-i-know-if-counselling-is-right-for-me"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What should I expect during my first counselling session? (Cheshire guide) - Counselling in Sandbach &amp; Online | Carryn Williams Therapist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking about starting counselling but not sure what to expect? 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