What to expect from your first counseling session in Belize
Whenever I ask my first-time clients what they expect in therapy, they often think that they would lay down on a long chair and I will tell them what to do to get rid of their anxiety or depression in a session or two. My response is usually, I hear that a lot, but you get to decide if you want to lay down and counseling, and therapy is more than two sessions.
Yips, I say it in the beginning. You want a honest therapist. Someone that will tell you what their process will be like to help you reach your goal of not constantly battling with anxiety and therapy.
You want to walk into your therapist office feeling welcome from the first time you enter the door. You want all of you to be welcome. Your therapist will ask to share your reason for making the decision to go to therapy. This is an opportunity for you to decide if what your therapist is saying sounds and feels good to you. Your therapist will connect what you are experiencing with their strategies they plan to reach you.
What will happen after you decide to schedule?
Once you have decided to schedule an appointment with our Client Care Coordinator, she will send you an invitation to our private client portal. Only you will have access to this portal. In the portal, you will be asked to complete some background information as part of our intake form and complete a screening for depression and anxiety. This usually takes about 20 minutes to complete. You will get an email appointment reminder. We asked that you complete this form before your session with your therapist because it will help your therapist or psychologist know a little about you before the appointment so that when you have your appointment, it can focus on you rather than trying to let the therapist know about your past experience. We really want to maximize the 50 minutes we have with you.
What do you need to do to prepare for the first session?
The only thing you need to do before your first session is to complete our intake form in the client portal. We just want you to come as yourself.
What happens in the first session?
In the first session, we will talk about the recent event(s) that encouraged you to make the call. We will also introduce ourselves and go over some of the things that you hope to get out of therapy. If you are unsure of specifics and only know that you want to change, we will help you flesh it out. At the end of our first appointment, we will share a tentative treatment plan based on what you shared, and we will discuss the frequency of treatment.
Will I have homework?
Depending on who your therapist is :) Nadia oftentimes likes to give homework and Deshane doesn’t usually give homework. She may ask you to do some experiments after practicing them in session.
When will I have my next session?
Our clients come to session weekly. Your next appointment will be the following week, at the same time that is convenient to you
What if I don’t like what happened in the first session or I am not sure it is a good match?
Your experience with your therapist is crucial for therapy or counselling to be beneficial. If you are unsure if it’s a good match you can have a conversation with your therapist and ask if you can be referred to someone else. We have a list of other therapist that we can refer to. It’s important to shop around for your therapist so that you ensure that you have the right match.
I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Belize. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call us at 636-0823 for a free 15 minute phone consultation. We’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with blank, you can read more about how we can help here.
