Beginning Therapy
You don’t need to know exactly where to begin
Reaching out for therapy can feel like a big step, especially when you’re not quite sure what to expect.
You don’t need to know exactly what you want to talk about, have the right words, or be certain about what needs to change. You can begin with whatever has brought you here.
Part of my role is to help make the process feel a little more understandable. Here’s what you can expect when you’re ready to begin.
Reaching out
When you’re ready, you can reach out through my online booking portal or send an inquiry via the Connect page. You’ll be able to request a free 15-minute phone consultation at a time that works for you.
You don’t need to write a long explanation or know exactly what to say. A few words about what brings you to therapy are enough for us to begin
The consultation
The consultation is a brief, informal phone conversation. I’ll ask a little about what brings you to therapy and what you’re hoping for, and you’ll have space to ask me questions too.
You don’t need to prepare anything beforehand. The purpose isn’t to figure everything out in 15 minutes—it’s simply a chance for us to connect, talk a little about what you’re looking for, and get a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit.
Your first session
If we decide to work together, we’ll find a time for your first session. You can meet with me in person at my Dartmouth office or virtually from somewhere that feels comfortable and private.
There’s no expectation that you tell me your whole story in our first session—or that you know where the story should begin. We’ll start with what feels most important to you and take some time to understand what has been happening in your life and what you’re hoping therapy might offer.
You’re also welcome to ask questions as we go. Therapy is something we’ll shape together, and part of our first few conversations is simply getting to know one another and beginning to understand what might be helpful for you.
If you’re coming for couples therapy, the beginning looks a little different. We’ll spend our first few sessions getting to know your relationship and each of your perspectives before deciding together what might be most helpful to focus on.
From there, we begin together
Therapy doesn’t need to follow a perfectly mapped-out path. As we get to know one another, we’ll begin to notice what feels important, what patterns may be showing up, and what you’d like to understand more deeply.
Sometimes our work may involve learning or practicing something new. Sometimes it may mean slowing down with an experience, becoming curious about a pattern, or making space for something you haven’t had much room to explore.
We can let the work develop from there. You don’t need to see the whole path before taking the next step.
Whenever you’re ready
You don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
We can begin with a conversation.
