Inside the psychologist’s room: What to expect when you see a psychologist

29 Jul Inside the psychologist’s room: What to expect when you see a psychologist

The thought of seeing a psychologist can be a little daunting for some people. For others there is the stigma of seeing a ‘shrink’. I think perhaps the problem is that people don’t know what will happen or they have preconceived ideas based on what they have seen on television. Visions of lying on couch come to mind. Rest assured this is not what happens at Prosper Health Collective.

Many people find it hard to make that first appointment or feel nervous when they first come to a session. I hope that this article will provide a bit more detail about what happens and how you can prepare yourself to get the most out of the experience. Seeing a psychologist should be about empowering you to tackle challenges and make positive changes in your life. It is the job of your psychologist to help put you at ease in your first session and to create a space that is warm, accepting and welcoming.

At your first session your psychologist will greet you in the waiting room and take you into their office. They will discuss with you things like confidentiality and informed consent before starting the session. They will then ask you about the reason for attending and get you to tell your story. Your psychologist will guide you through this process asking the questions they need to know to best assist you. Finally the psychologist will speak with you about your goals for treatment and in conjunction with you develop a treatment plan.

The psychologist will be determining throughout the appointment if they have the skills and expertise to assist you. Equally you should be deciding if the psychologist is the right match for you. If you don’t feel comfortable, safe and supported or if you get the sense that the psychologist cannot help you then tell them. The relationship between a psychologist and their client is essential in getting good outcomes in treatment.

Listed below are my top 5 tips for attending your first session with a psychologist:

1. Be prepared. Take a little time before the appointment to think about why you are attending and what you want to achieve. Ask yourself, when this problem is resolved how will my life be different? What will I be doing that is different?
2. Arrive a little early. You may already be feeling stressed about attending. Don’t make it worse by running late or getting lost. Allow yourself plenty of time to find the clinic. We have comfy couches you can relax in if you arrive early.
3. Don’t over commit. If you can, allow some time after the appointment just in case you need it to unwind and process your session. Talking about difficulties in your life can be tough. If you have to run from the session directly back to work or some other commitment you may find this difficult if you have been emotional during the appointment.
4. Say what you need to say. There is no reason to hold back. A psychologist office is one of the few places in the world where you can say what you need to say without fear of being judged. If you think what you want to say is weird or odd chances are we have heard it before.
5. Remember this is your time. You will get out of therapy what you put into it. You need to be open and honest with your psychologist so that they can develop the best treatment plan for you and you get the most out of your experience.

Working with a psychologist can be rewarding and life changing. Hopefully this article has painted a picture of what to expect in a first session and allayed any fears or concerns. So if you have been thinking about making an appointment, now is the time to do it. Give our friendly receptionist a call or alternatively click on the contact us button and we will be in touch to arrange a time with you.