Many people feel nervous before a first therapy appointment, especially if they have never been to therapy before. Some worry about saying the wrong thing, crying, or not knowing where to start. Knowing roughly what to expect can take some of the pressure off. There is no right way to be a new client, and you do not have to arrive with a tidy summary of your life.
Before the session
Most practices ask new clients to complete some paperwork before or at the first visit. This usually includes contact details, a consent form that explains how the practice works, a privacy notice, insurance information if you are using it, and sometimes a short questionnaire about your background. Dr. Lehmann's paperwork is on the forms page; ask when you call how and when to return it.
If you are meeting in person, plan to arrive a few minutes early. If you are meeting by video, test your device and find a private place to sit. Either way, it can help to jot down a few notes beforehand: what made you decide to reach out now, anything you want the psychologist to know, and any questions you have.
What the psychologist will ask
The first session, sometimes called an intake or initial consultation, is largely about understanding you. Expect questions such as:
- What led you to seek therapy, and why now
- How the concern is affecting your mood, sleep, work, relationships, or daily routine
- Your personal and family history, including earlier experiences with therapy
- Your physical health, any medications, and other care you receive
- Current supports, such as friends, family, or community
- What you hope will be different if therapy helps
You decide how much to share. It is fine to say you are not ready to talk about something yet. A psychologist is used to people opening up gradually, and trust usually builds over several sessions rather than in the first hour.
Some questions may be about safety, for example whether you have had thoughts of harming yourself. These are routine questions that psychologists ask many people. They are part of understanding how you are doing, not an assumption about you.
What the psychologist will explain
A first session also covers how therapy will work. This usually includes confidentiality and the specific situations in which a psychologist may be required to share information, how fees and insurance are handled, how scheduling and cancellations work, and how to reach the practice. At Dr. Lehmann's office, sessions are billed per clinical hour and there is a late-cancellation fee when less than 24 hours' notice is given; Fees & Insurance has the details.
The psychologist may also describe their approach. Dr. Lehmann's work is insight-oriented: it looks at personal history, family dynamics, and current functioning together, alongside practical feedback and coping skills for what you are facing now.
What you can ask
The first session is a two-way conversation. You are also deciding whether this psychologist is right for you. Questions people often find useful:
- How do you usually work with concerns like mine?
- How often would we meet, and how will we know whether therapy is helping?
- What happens if I need to reschedule or switch to a video session?
- What should I do if I am struggling between sessions?
How a first session may feel
Reactions vary. Some people feel relief at finally saying things out loud. Others feel tired, unsettled, or emotional afterward, because talking about hard things can stir them up. Both are common. It can help to leave a little time after the appointment before going back to work or other demands.
The first session is usually not where solutions arrive. It is more like laying groundwork: the psychologist is getting to know you, and you are getting a sense of them. Many people need a few sessions before they can tell whether the fit is right.
If you have had therapy before
If you have seen a therapist in the past, it helps to mention what was useful and what was not. Maybe you liked having practical tools but wanted to understand where a pattern came from, or you felt the sessions drifted without direction. That history gives a new psychologist a head start and lets you say plainly what you want this time. If a previous experience was painful, you can say that too, and take things at a pace that feels manageable.
Some people also want their new psychologist to see records from earlier treatment. That is your choice, and it generally requires your written permission. Ask how the practice handles it.
After the first session
By the end of the first session or over the next few, you and the psychologist will usually agree on some initial goals and how often to meet. For many people in individual therapy that means weekly sessions at first, though the pace is something you work out together. Goals can change as you learn more, and that is part of the process.
If you are a couple starting therapy together, the first session often includes each partner's view of what is happening in the relationship and what each hopes for. Ask ahead of time how Dr. Lehmann structures a first couples session.
Deciding between the office and video for your first visit? See In-Person vs. Online Therapy.