Prepare for mental health therapy
The first session is mostly about fit.
It's okay to feel nervous. Nervous and prepared is a good place to be.
Your preparation progress
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Overview
Starting therapy takes courage. The first appointment is largely history and fit — you are allowed to evaluate the therapist as much as they are assessing you.
What to expect
- Intake paperwork and questions about history and goals
- A conversation about confidentiality and its limits
- Discussion of approach and frequency
- No pressure to share everything at once
Questions to ask
What approach do you use, and why for my situation?
How will we know this is working?
What is your experience with medical trauma, grief, or chronic illness?
What are your fees, and do you take my insurance?
In plain language, what is happening and why is it recommended now?
Plain language is your right. Ask again if the answer is technical.
What are my options, including waiting or doing nothing?
How will this change what I can do day to day, and for how long?
What should I do to prepare?
Who do I call with questions, and what number do I use after hours?
What would make you want to see me sooner?
This turns vague worry into a clear trigger for calling.
Interactive checklists
Check items off as you go. Progress is saved on this device so you can continue later.
Private to this device. Included when you print, export, or save to your Health Binder.
For caregivers and family
What caregivers can expect
- Homework between sessions
- Progress that is slow and uneven
- Frustration as part of the process
How caregivers can help
- Help build the home program into the daily routine
- Celebrate small measurable wins
- Report setbacks to the therapist instead of pushing through
Questions caregivers should ask
- How should we do the home program safely?
- What is realistic progress in a month?
- What should we do on flare days?
Recovery and what happens next
First session
Evaluation and goal setting.
- · Describe your day, not just your symptom
- · Set two goals that matter to you
- · Ask how many visits are approved
Weeks 1-4
Consistency beats intensity.
- · Do the home program
- · Track what helps and what flares
- · Report pain that lasts hours after a session
Progress review
Adjust rather than push through.
- · Review measurable progress
- · Update goals
- · Ask what happens when visits run out
Risks and warning signs
Possible risks to ask about
- Every procedure and medicine carries some risk — ask for yours in numbers, not adjectives
- Reactions to medicines, contrast, or anesthesia
- Infection
- Delays or the need for a repeat visit
Warning signs — call your clinician
- · Feeling worse after several sessions with no discussion of why
- · A therapist who dismisses your concerns
- · Thoughts of harming yourself
Red flags — seek emergency care
- · Thoughts of suicide or self-harm — call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) in the U.S., or go to the nearest emergency department
In an emergency, call 911. Do not wait for a call back.
Follow-up care
- Ask for a written home program
- Confirm how many visits are authorized and what happens next
- Book the re-evaluation
Frequently asked questions
Helpful resources
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Prepare Me is educational preparation support from Phoenix Health Compass. It does not diagnose, recommend treatment, or replace the guidance of your clinician. Checklists and notes stay on this device unless you save or share them yourself.