What to know before your first visit

Getting Started with Therapy

If you’ve never been to therapy before, or even if you have, the process of getting started can be confusing. Here’s what you need to know.

Booking Your Appointment

If you are ready to book an appointment, you can Book your session here.

For the first appointment, I recommend you book a 90-minute Initial Assessment and Treatment session, either online or in person. The extra time (over a regular 60-minute session) is because the first session is a busy one. In this session, we will establish a relationship, assess the presenting problem, identify goals, and ideally, I will do some teaching about the cognitive model and leave you with something to work on before your second session.

If you would rather book a regular 60 minute session for the first appointment feel free to do so. We will fit as much into the time as we can.

Be sure to choose the appointment option that matches your preference - in person or online. If you want to switch between in-person and online at a later date, email us and we will update your appointment.

Account Creation

Once you attempt to book an appointment, you will be prompted to make an account at the online booking account. Creating an account will allow you to schedule appointments online. You will be asked to share some personal information such as your age and contact info to create this account.

Scheduling Recommendations

When you are booking your first appointment, I recommend booking several follow-up appointments at the same time. This is to make sure that appointments are available when you want them. Unwanted or unneeded appointments can be cancelled without penalty up to 24 hours before the appointment.

If you are unsure how many appointments to book, I would generally recommend about 10, on either a weekly or bi-weekly schedule.

Preparing for Your First Session

After you have created your online account, there is still more paperwork to complete before your first session. You will be asked to read about and consent to our clinic policies. You will also be asked to complete questionnaires with background information about you and your reasons for seeking therapy. Please take the time to complete these forms - it helps me ensure that we are a good match before you spend your time, money and energy on a session and it helps us make good use of session time once you are here.