Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure what to expect. During this initial contact, you’ll complete our contact form. This helps us understand your primary concerns, goals, and any relevant medical or mental health history. This information allows us to match you with one of our specialized clinicians whose expertise aligns with your specific needs. Our diverse team includes specialists in depression and anxiety disorders, trauma and PTSD treatment, relationship counseling, and more.

We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early for your first appointment to complete any remaining paperwork and settle into the environment. This helps reduce anxiety and allows you to start your session feeling more relaxed and centered.

The First Session: Building Your Therapeutic Alliance

Your initial therapy session will feel more like a meaningful, purposeful conversation than a medical appointment. Our therapists create an atmosphere where you feel heard, understood, and completely free from judgment. This collaborative approach reflects our belief that you are the expert on your own life and experiences, while we provide the professional expertise to help you navigate challenges and achieve your goals.

The First Therapy Session

During this comprehensive assessment, your therapist will explore your current concerns and how they’re affecting your daily life, work performance, and relationships. Rather than simply cataloging symptoms, we’re interested in understanding the full context of your experience. This includes what you’ve already tried and what you hope to achieve through therapy. This might include discussing specific situations that brought you to therapy, any immediate safety concerns, your current coping strategies, and the support systems you have in place.

What We Explore Together

Your personal and family history will also be explored, not from a place of judgment, but to understand the broader context that has shaped your current experiences. Your therapist will want to understand your goals and expectations for therapy, how you’ll know when you’re making progress, your preferred pace and style of treatment, and any concerns you might have about the therapeutic process.