What You Need to Know About Your First Therapy Session
We’ve all been there…
getting ready to walk into, or log into, your first online therapy session.
The nerves and the excitement to learn new skills and gain a deeper understanding of your inner world.
The overwhelm when thinking about sharing your pain, your secrets, and parts of your story that feel vulnerable and maybe even shameful.
we know how brave it is to reach out for help and to start the online therapy process.
Our online therapists here at Reclaim want you to know that all parts of you and your story are welcome in our office. And, that you, your body, and your story, are nothing to be ashamed of.
As you prepare to get started, Emily and Casey, trauma and eating disorder therapists in Pennsylvania, want to share a little bit about what they want you to know about your first online therapy session.
Hi, I’m Emily! I’m passionate about helping people with anxiety, body shame, recover from eating disorders in Pennsylvania
Here’s what I want you to know about your first online therapy session with me:
the first session is all about getting to know each other!
First and foremost, I want my clients to know that our first session isn’t just for me to ask them a ton of questions and go over paperwork. It is also for them to ask me any questions they have about me, my background, and experience, what online therapy in Pennsylvania is like, and any other questions or concerns that come to mind.
Here is what you can expect from an online therapist in Pennsylvania
Typically in the first session, I like to primarily focus on having a more detailed conversation about struggles or topics that motivated my client to seek anxiety, body shame, or eating disorder treatment. I also like to know if my client has worked with a therapist in the past, and if so, what things they liked and found helpful in therapy, as well as things they disliked or did not find helpful so I can keep both in mind as we move forward in our work together.
We will set goals in our first online therapy session
I also think goal setting is important for our work together in the first session. I always remind clients that these are YOUR goals, not mine, and can be anything that will help and benefit you as we work together. I like to make sure that my clients also know that they can change their goals at any time during our work together and that I am always open to feedback.
Hi, I’m Casey! I’m a trauma therapist who specializes in eating disorders, grief, body shame, and PTSD treatment in Pennsylvania.
Here’s what I want you to know about their first online therapy session with me:
Taking the step to schedule an initial session with a therapist is a brave step so I am happy you are here!
It is completely normal to feel anxious, hesitant, nervous, or maybe even a little excited. The most important part of the online therapy experience is the client-therapist relationship. During the first session, the main focus is to create a safe environment for you so that we can get to know each other and build the foundation for your therapy journey to begin.
in its simplest form, we are humans helping and supporting humans!
That can include reviewing intake information but also getting to know your interests, hobbies, and favorite TV show, and allowing you to ask questions to bring safety and trust into the process. There is no cookie cutter therapy so everyone's journey is unique to their needs, feelings, thoughts, and wants for the process.
Most of all, I welcome you with open arms and am here to support you however you need it!
Here at Reclaim Therapy we provide specialized treatment for trauma, disordered eating and body image concerns.
We use a variety of treatment modalities including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Somatic Interventions, Intuitive Eating Counseling, and behavioral techniques to support our clients to reclaim their lives from trauma, disordered eating, diet culture, and body shame.