What to Expect from a Counseling Session

Mental health conditions are becoming increasingly common, affecting people from all walks of life. More than half of adults in the United States state that their families have experienced a mental health crisis, and nearly 90% of people believe the nation is in the midst of a mental health crisis. 

Symptoms can be debilitating and disrupt your life, often worsening if not addressed. Although seeking treatment feels intimidating at first, it can make a major difference and help you find ways to take back control. Beyond addressing mental health, professional treatment can also help with situational, relational, and personal challenges that arise.

Counseling is often the first step toward healing, whether that is from a mental health condition or from a different problem in your life. You can talk through your emotions out loud, receive guidance from a licensed professional, and develop coping skills that you can apply to everyday life. At Portneuf Valley Family Center, we understand how hard it can be to take that first step, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

Common Reasons for Counseling

Counseling offers solutions for current issues that you may be facing, focusing on guidance and support. It can help you identify problems in your life, work through them, and find solutions. 

Though it may be hard to recognize, choosing to go to counseling demonstrates a great deal of strength. It shows that you are determined to face the things that are most difficult for you and are willing to make necessary changes. By doing this, you can find support and develop the tools you need to move forward.

People attend counseling sessions for a wide variety of reasons. While some relate specifically to mental health conditions, others can be situational. 

Common reasons for counseling include:

• Mental health conditions: Anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and mood disorders are just a few of the mental health conditions that counseling can address.
• Family or relationship conflict: Facing issues with parents, siblings, a spouse, or friends can cause emotional distress and household tension. 
• Life changes: Career shifts, moves, and other significant changes can cause high levels of stress. 
• Grief: Losing a loved one can completely alter the course of your life, resulting in long-term effects that make it hard to function and return to the way things used to be.
• Trauma: Undergoing a traumatic event can have lasting effects that extend far beyond the initial incident, often resulting in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Counseling Sessions

Your first counseling session is usually introductory. Your counselor can assess your situation and get to know you better. They may ask you questions about how things have been going in your life recently, ways you have been coping with things, and what has pushed you to come to your first session. 

While they will guide the session, you will do most of the talking. Your counselor is simply there to listen and help you work through things, not to judge you. Though opening up is never easy, you can relax knowing that sessions are confidential. It can also be a nice change to speak with someone who is not in your family or social circles, as this might help you feel comfortable speaking more freely and trust that they are offering a true outsider’s perspective.

A Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment (CDA) is completed during the first few sessions, followed by a treatment plan. The goal of the CDA is to identify accurate diagnoses and develop a personalized treatment plan by gathering information on symptoms, history, social context, and potential co-occurring conditions. Mental, emotional, developmental, and behavioral factors will be evaluated, as well as physical health, to ensure a holistic understanding of your needs.

After they have obtained all necessary information, your counselor can help develop a treatment plan. This plan is a collaborative, written document that acts as a roadmap for therapy, outlining your goals and the strategies a counselor will use to help you achieve them. It typically includes client information, a diagnosis, specific goals, measurable objectives, and planned interventions. It is used to guide the therapeutic process and measure your progress over time.

Your counselor can share treatment recommendations, offering one or more types of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and more. Counselors may also recommend other mental health services, such as medication management and community services.

You want to find a clinician who makes you feel comfortable and safe. You have every right to request to get reassigned to another clinician until you find one who you feel is best for you.

After your first meeting, sessions start to settle into a regular rhythm. Some may feel lighter, while others may explore deeper topics. Counselors can guide you toward making progress in small steps, helping you come to revelations and find solutions that can help you thrive over time.

Preparation for Your First Counseling Session

While you may not know exactly how your first session will go, there are ways you can prepare. We ask new clients to arrive 30 minutes early to complete a self-report questionnaire that assesses the severity and frequency of common depression symptoms over the last two weeks, as well as a Crisis Response Plan.

This plan is a personalized, preventative document that outlines steps for managing a mental health emergency. It involves identifying potential crisis triggers, recognizing early warning signs, and outlining specific steps that you can take to ensure your safety during crisis situations. You will fill it out to the best of your ability, and your counselor will help you complete it, as well as providing you with a copy to look at.

Beyond this plan, there are a few simple steps you can take to help you feel equipped for your first counseling session:

1. Set goals: Think about your “why.” What do you hope to understand, change, or feel by the end of therapy?
2. Dress comfortably: It's easier to relax when you feel more like yourself.
3. Manage expectations: Therapy takes time to work and is never an instant fix.
4. Set aside time beforehand: Turn off your phone, take a few deep breaths, write down your thoughts, and give yourself extra time to arrive.
5. Recognize milestones: Celebrate even the smallest of wins. The fact that you have booked an appointment is progress.
6. Be open and honest: Approach sessions with an open mind and honest intentions, but know that you can take things at your own pace.
7. Ask questions: Make a list of questions to bring to your first session, and write down any more as they come up. Curiosity can fuel your journey and help you out more than you realize.
8. Leave time afterward: Once your session has ended, you will need some time to reflect. You can journal, sit with your thoughts, or even talk to a loved one if you feel comfortable doing so.
9. Be yourself: The point of therapy is not to present a perfect image of yourself, but instead to embrace your imperfections as you seek change.
10. Do your homework: If your therapist suggests an exercise, embrace it with an open mind.

The Benefits of Counseling

Counseling can equip you with the tools and skills you need to cope with problems in your everyday life. Over time, you can reach a point where these problems are less disruptive, or even a thing of the past, depending on what you are facing. 

For things that are not curable, like mental health conditions, counseling can help you find ways to manage your symptoms. From practices learned in therapy to application in everyday life, you can learn how to function better even in the midst of challenging symptoms. If your counselor recommends medication, that might be another tool you can use in addition to the techniques you have learned. 

The work you put into your sessions can help you develop habits that last. Over time, you have the potential to experience a shift in the way you think, react, and cope. 

Counseling can help you:

• Change negative behaviors 
• Change thought patterns
• Cope with mental health symptoms
• Determine and accomplish your goals
• Develop conflict-handling skills
• Enhance your problem-solving skills
• Feel more equipped to handle difficulties
• Find healing from the past
• Improve your communication skills
• Improve your self-confidence 
• Learn how to ask for help
• Manage intense emotions 
• Receive support 
• Repair your relationships
• Set healthy boundaries 

Local Counseling Services

At Portneuf Valley Family Center, we support people across Southeast Idaho with counseling services, medication management, case management, community-based rehabilitative services (CBRS), adult peer support, crisis response, and education. We believe that those struggling with emotional or behavioral issues can recover and live happy, constructive lives. Our approach is simple: we want to help people help themselves.

If you have been considering counseling, we encourage you to take that first step. You do not need to have all the answers; you just need to be willing to start. Contact us today to schedule your first counseling session or learn more about the support available to you.