Getting Started

 

MAKING THE DECISION TO SEEK THERAPY SERVICES

 

A healthy professional therapy relationship is one in which a client feels respected, treated with positive regard, and where the therapist can provide a non-judgemental, neutral supportive role in assisting a client to identify, articulate, and respond to challenges. Finding the right therapist can mean meeting with more than one person in order to establish a therapy relationship that works for you.

In making the decision to seek therapy services it is worthwhile to take into consideration that there can be positive emotions and life changes as well as uncomfortable emotions and difficult decisions that can arise when receiving therapy services - and this can be thought of as the benefits and risks of therapy.

There is a strong evidence base showing that receiving therapy services can help to identify and manage challenges, enhance self-understanding and expand the range of perspectives for approaching and managing a situation. Therapy services can be useful for learning and practicing self-care techniques, for promoting a sense self-fulfillment and personal growth, for encouraging the strengthening of healthy relationships and treating long-standing personal and emotional challenges.

Possible risks of receiving therapy services can include feelings of discomfort, confusion, anger, or frustration that arise in therapy when working through present challenges and trauma, or when recalling past traumatic experiences. This can produce feelings of sadness and retrieve uncomfortable thoughts and memories that can impact on a person's day-to-day life experience while they are receiving services to therapeutically resolve issues. Some issues can be much more difficult to treat, and may require changes to the therapy treatment plan to best respond to the unfolding therapeutic process.

Although every person will have a unique experience of therapy, research evidence has found that clients who seek therapy for themselves have often already begun the essential reflective process of engaging with problems they wish to address, and that this allows them to begin therapy on an active foundation. The extent of benefits that are derived from therapy often depend on the particular issues a client hopes to address, the goals that are set, and the ability of the person to follow through with treatment.

Confidentiality


Confidentiality is an essential aspect of the therapeutic relationship. A therapist must safeguard information shared during therapy sessions. A client must be able to trust that the personal information that is shared with a therapist will not be revealed, and confidentiality is explained at the initial meeting with the therapist to ensure that it is understood before therapy begins.

It is important to understand that there are certain specific limits of maintaining confidentiality:

  • When a client shares information suggesting that they may be at risk of being harmed, may harm them self or someone else; in such circumstances it is the counsellor's legal duty to inform the appropriate medical or law enforcement authorities.
  • When court-ordered, the therapist may be required to appear as a witness in court or respond to a subpoena to release information tp the courts or their representatives if you have matters involving potential litigation. 


What is the first therapy session like?


At the first appointment, I will do my best to help you feel comfortable in the therapeutic setting, and to learn about you and what you would like to be the outcomes of therapy. I will try to ask you questions that help me understand your situation and how I can best support you towards your aims in therapy. You can answer questions honestly, and you can also ask me questions as well.

I will ask you some questions about how long you have been working with the challenges that brought you to therapy, what seems to help, and what experience you might already have with therapy, and therapeutic approaches that have worked well for you. We will discuss together what approaches we will use in therapy in order to best address your specific needs and preferences, and how to schedule subsequent appointments.

 

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