Starting therapy is one of the bravest decisions someone can make — but it’s not always easy.
When a client walks into a therapist’s office for the first time, they often bring more than just their story. They bring questions:
- Will I be understood here?
- Is it safe to say what I’ve never said out loud?
- What if it doesn’t help?
For therapy to work, the nervous system needs safety. Before insight, growth, or change can happen, the brain must first register: I’m not under threat here.
Without that, even the most evidence-based interventions can fall flat.
The Power of Early Engagement
Research shows that engagement in the first 3 sessions is a strong predictor of therapy outcomes. But that doesn’t mean everything needs to be “solved” early — it means the client needs to feel:
- Heard
- Valued
- Connected
- Supported
What builds engagement?
- A space where their story is honoured
- An early win, no matter how small
- A sense that healing is possible
Even the smallest shifts count:
- Noticing an automatic thought
- Feeling something without shutting down
- Asking one honest question
These are not “baby steps.” They are foundations.
Therapy Is a Partnership, Not a Prescription
Clients don’t come to be “fixed.” They come to be met.
The best therapy starts with curiosity, not certainty. With collaboration, not control.
And with honesty, not performance.
That’s why in early sessions, the focus should be:
- Establishing rapport and emotional safety
- Validating uncertainty and ambivalence
- Offering structure while still allowing flexibility
You’re not just building a therapeutic plan — you’re building a relationship.
What to Expect Emotionally
It’s normal for early therapy to feel like a rollercoaster:
- A mix of vulnerability and relief
- Moments of doubt
- Hope — and sometimes fear of hoping
Remind your clients:
Discomfort in therapy doesn’t mean it’s not working.
It often means something is finally moving.
Real healing rarely starts with confidence. It starts with courage. With showing up — unsure, afraid, hopeful — and being met with empathy.
If you’re just beginning therapy, know this: You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to begin.
