Ten Things to Expect in Your First Therapy Session

A first therapy session (also called the “intake session”) is an important step when therapist and client (or clients parents, if the person coming to therapy is under 18) get to meet together and discuss what brings them to therapy.

An intake is typically around the length of a typical therapy session. Billing can differ, as some therapists charge more for an intake (at Art Therapy Source, it’s the same fee as a regular session).

The intake session is designed to provide a foundational understanding of one’s background and history, needs, current life circumstances, and proposed goals for therapy. Therapists will also provide more information about confidentiality, consent, practice-specific policies such as communication or billing, scheduling, etc. to the client.

This post will lay out some of the common topics that you can expect to discuss in your first therapy session and some context for each.

• Personal Information

  • Your personal information involves details such as full name, date of birth, contact information, living situation, employment status and occupation, age, grade if in school, marital status, living situation, family, and support system

• Presenting Issues

  • What is bringing you to seek therapy at this time

  • Duration, onset, and severity of symptoms/challenges

• Mental & Physical Health History

  • Any current/past physical health conditions or illnesses, allergies, recent changes, current medications, or specific needs that should be known

  • Mental health history for the client and their family, including any previous diagnoses, courses of treatments, prior episodes of symptoms, or medications you/family have received

  • Trauma history (medical, interpersonal, natural disaster, racial, generational, sexual, acute, chronic, etc.) including when it occurred and persons involved

• Lifestyle and Habits

  • Quality, frequency, and concerns around of sleep, nutrition, and exercise

  • Current and historical use of substances like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription drugs other than prescribed, or psychedelics and non-substances such as gambling, shopping, sex, internet, social media, etc

• Therapy Goals

  • What you hope to achieve through therapy

  • What methods and materials you enjoy and are interested in trying

• Current Stressors

  • Big changes, transitions, or major life events that are currently impacting you or that you are anticipating

  • Sources of stress such as work, relationships, or a sick family member

• Coping Strategies

  • How you currently manage stress and handle processing emotions

  • The quality of your support system, hobbies, interests, and outlets

• Educational/Vocational/Legal History

  • Academic history and current/past employment or notable changes

  • Arrest, summons, DUI, sentencing, family court or incarceration history

• Expectations and Progress

  • Collaborating on realistic expectations and goals, and overview of how progress will be measured

  • Overview of what we would do if the need for further assessment or evaluation arises

  • Plan for discussing outcomes and progress along the way

• A Plan for Next Steps

  • Making a plan for next steps if it feels like a good fit to work together

  • Finalizing and confirming the schedule

  • With parents/caregivers, a plan for checking in with one another and potentially coordinating care between therapist and school therapists, teachers, etc

  • If applicable, recommendation for further assessment or evaluation or referral to a different form of therapy that can is more oriented and applicable to the concerns/goals

  • Overview of important administrative and practice information

  • Time for questions and concerns to be addressed

  • Tour of the space and orientation to any important factors like parking or a shared/quiet waiting area

The first intake session helps therapists gain important context and understanding about you and what might best support you. It also helps clients get a sense of a therapist, and whether or not it could be someone they want to work with. Both sides are doing their own assessment to ensure they feel comfortable with one another and get a sense that this is a good relational fit.

If you’re thinking about starting therapy and you’re interested in art therapy for yourself or a loved one, feel free to reach out below.