Our first session is really an opportunity for us to meet and begin to get to know each other. You can tell me something about what has brought you to psychotherapy, what has been happening in your life and what you might be hoping for from our work. You don't need to arrive with a clear explanation or know exactly where to begin. We can take some time to work that out together.

I’ll explain how I work and there will be plenty of opportunity for you to ask questions too. Although I bring my experience and training, I don't see a first session as me assessing you from the other side of the room. It is a shared process: I am beginning to understand you, while you are also getting a sense of me, how I work and what it feels like to talk together.

If we decide to continue, psychotherapy can become a process of meaningful change, beginning with what feels most important to you. There is no pressure to have everything decided immediately; our understanding of what you need may develop as the work progresses. We can also talk practically about the frequency of sessions and anything else you need to know before deciding whether you would like to continue.