Your first counselling session
When you arrive
If you’re feeling anxious about your first counselling session, this is perfectly normal. We are looking forward to meeting you.
Regardless of the type of session you booked, you’ll be greeted by one of our friendly counsellors on arrival. Also you’ll be asked to sign a consent form before beginning your first session. Don’t worry, this form is really just a formality to say that we both agree to work towards helping meet your needs as best as we can and that your counsellor will act with professionalism. Now you’re ready to begin your session. We offer multiple services. So, the structure of your session will vary depending on whether you have booked a session for an adult, a couple, a child, an adolescent or a family.
Child Therapy
The first Child Therapy session begins with a five-minute to ten-minute chat between parent and counsellor to understand what may be going on for the child. Then with this valuable insight, the Counsellor will use a range of Play Therapy, Art Therapy and Narrative Therapy to assist your child explore and expand their awareness of their world. Your child will feel safe to disclose what is going on for them. Your counsellor will guide your child to uncover strengths and behaviours that may help them in difficult situations.
At the end of the first session, your child will leave with tools to help them work towards achieving their goals.
Relationship Counselling
The first Relationship Counselling session involves giving you time to discuss your perspective of what is happening for you in the relationship. Also, it is and an opportunity to listen to your partner’s perspective of the relationship. We understand that every relationship is different and our experienced counsellors adapt to accommodate the needs of each couple. Your counsellor will work collaboratively to develop a plan to assist you to move forward and set goals that you would both like to achieve in the relationship.
As a couple you will leave the session with a tool to improve communication and begin getting that spark back.
Adult Counselling
The first individual Adult Counselling session is mostly an opportunity for your counsellor to get to know you a little. Your counsellor will make you feel comfortable to disclose what may be going on for you. You can feel confident that this is a pressure-free environment, with no “right-or-wrong”. This is simply a chance for you to spend some time really putting yourself first. It’s an opportunity to set therapeutic goals and discuss what you would like to get out of counselling.
At the end of the session, you will leave having developed a strong therapeutic relationship with your counsellor. In addition, you will have a tool to motivate you and assist you to reach your therapeutic goals.
Family Counselling
The first Family Counselling session provides a chance for every member of the family to share their experience and be heard within a safe and supportive environment. Also this is an opportunity to listen to the perspectives of other family members. The counsellor works with your family to develop a strong foundation on which agreed upon goals become cohesive and achievable!
The first session re-opens channels of communication and your family leaves with a tool for reshaping group dynamics.
Adolescent Counselling
The first Adolescent Counselling session begins with a five-minute to ten-minute chat between parent and counsellor to understand what may be going on for the teen. Then using this valuable insight, your counsellor meets with the teenager to assist them explore the issues which they are struggling with.
Teenagers leave the session with tools to help them begin to cope and regulate their emotions.
There you have it; a complete breakdown of what to expect when you first come to counselling at Blissful Minds!