What to Expect with Starting Therapy

Going to therapy, especially for the first time, can feel intimidating - but, at Leeward, it doesn’t have to be. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect from your first therapy session so you can arrive feeling calm, prepared, and hopeful about the positive changes ahead.

Personalized Outpatient Counseling Services on the South Shore

At Leeward Counseling, our goal is to help every client feel comfortable, understood, and experience real results. We offer a range of outpatient mental health services in Hingham, MA and Milton, MA, including:

• Individual therapy for adults

• Couples counseling, marriage counseling and relationship therapy

• Child and play therapy

• Teen and adolescent counseling

• Anxiety, stress, and depression treatment

During your first session, your therapist will focus on getting to know you—not through a rigid intake process, but through a natural, supportive conversation.

A Warm Welcome to Our Hingham & Milton, Massachusetts Counseling Offices

When you first step foot into one of our luxury offices, feel free to take an open seat - your counselor will be out in a moment and you will have already filled out all the necessary forms online. 

Your therapist will greet you on time and take you into their office. From there, your first session will begin! Sessions are generally 45-55 minutes. 

If you’d prefer to start with a lower-pressure introduction, we also offer a free 15-minute consultation for individuals, children (parents), couples, teens, and families 

What Happens During Your First Therapy Session?

Our goal at Leeward Counseling is to always make you, the client, feel comfortable and hopeful in our sessions. 

Your therapist will not be doing any formal intake process, rather our goal is to get to know you, have you get to know your therapist and start to collaborate on a plan for the best and most effective treatment.

Typically, your clinicians first question will be to ask you what brings you in. A good place to start is to talk about the event, conversation or feeling that made you seek therapy. Maybe it was a fight with a loved one, a loss or just a really bad day. From there, we will work together to understand the biggest roadblocks in your life, define them and explore what the solution would look like.

For example, perhaps a client comes in because they have been feeling anxious, overwhelmed and constantly worrying. The therapist may follow up by asking when you feel most anxious, what type of thoughts or activities feel most overwhelming. They might also explore if you have had any physical symptoms in your body (headache, upset stomach) or trouble eating and sleeping. 

Creating Your Personalized Treatment Plan

At Leeward Counseling, we believe in collaborative, goal-oriented care. During your first or second session, we’ll begin developing your Personalized Treatment Plan, exclusive to Leeward Counseling and tailored specifically to your needs.

A helpful question to consider before your appointment is:

“If therapy works the way I hope, how will my life look different in 3–6 months?”

Your answer helps guide your therapy goals and allows us to recommend the most effective approaches—whether that includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), DBT, talk therapy, or other evidence-based techniques.

We’ll outline:

• Your therapy goals

• Recommended treatment methods

• Estimated timeline to see your results 

• Suggested session frequency

Of course, if you’re simply looking for a safe, confidential and supportive place to talk, we fully support that too!

Leaving Your First Session Feeling Hopeful

While your first session includes getting to know you, we also want you to start feeling better right away. Many clients leave their first appointment with:

• Practical strategies to try

• New perspectives on their challenges

• A clearer sense of direction

Your therapist may offer small tools or reflections to work on between sessions so you can begin seeing progress immediately.

Building Trust With Your Therapist

Finally, your first session also will likely include some information about your therapist, their style, their personality and some other disclaimers about what we do in emergency situations. Leeward prides itself on being real human beings that care deeply about instilling a two way trust with our clients.

 We are always eager to know about your interests, about the people in your life, about  your hopes and dreams. You are so much more than any emotional struggle and that is bringing you in. 

We see the real you, the best you. 

Start Therapy in Hingham or Milton, MA Today

Taking the first step toward therapy is a big decision, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re seeking outpatient counseling in Hingham, Scituate, Cohasset, Canton, Dorchester, South Boston or Milton, MA, couples therapy, or therapy for anxiety or depression, Leeward Counseling is here to help.

Contact us today to schedule your first session or a free consultation. 

We’re so glad you’re here.