Social Anxiety Support

supreme.mugwump · 08-05-2009, 05:11 PM

I could be wrong about this, but I think some people on this site are probably nervous about going to a therapist for the first time, and would like to be able to get a bit of a picture of what it's like in the first session. Would people find it helpful if we posted a short story about what happened in session 1? (Please don't post negative stuff!!). E.g. people might like to know about procedures, types of questions etc.

I'll go first:

So for me I found that the build up to the session was much scarier than the actual session. Once I got there, the receptionist had me fill out a form with my details, and I signed to say that I had read the privacy information etc. Then the psychologist came out to get me... once in the room, she made me very comfortable very quickly. I had been scared that I wouldn't know what to say, but she had this way of knowing just what prompts to give so that I didn't get too stuck. Basically she asked if I had been to counselling before, and what brought me to see her. Once I told her about the current issue she stepped back to get a little more background info on me. I just had to answer the questions, and it really wasn't so hard after all.

mixolydian · 08-19-2009, 05:57 AM

Definitely the hardest parts were the making of the appontment and the wait between doing that and actually seeing the therapist, the actual session wasn't too bad. My first session was at the counselling service at my University which involved a 2 week period between the making of the appointment and the appointment itself. That was quite hard for me because I get quite bad anticipatory anxiety. When it came to the date I remember lying in bed just feeling so crap and thinking that I was such a complete failure and screw up that I was going into therapy but fortunately I was able to overcome that and force myself to the appointment. Once there it was simply a matter of filling out some confidentiality forms and then after a pretty brief wait in the waiting room I was taken into the therapising room where I was therapised. For people who are too scared to go, all I can say is you've got to force yourself to do it, it was such a relief to get my emotions off my chest and to finally feel that there was a way out of my problems. They'll be able to give you some guidance, motivation and hopefully get you the right treatment.

supreme.mugwump · 08-29-2009, 03:06 AM

Hey, good advice Mix

It's very true.

Happ2beme · 08-29-2009, 04:26 AM

Quote:

I was taken into the therapising room where I was therapised.

You made my day.

Toad Licker · 08-29-2009, 11:12 AM

I was extremely nervous at my first counselor appointment, I couldn't even look at her while talking. It was one of the first things she asked me about, I told her how nervous I was and had a small panic attack. So for me it was pretty bad but I did survive it though it took years before I could really look at my counselor while talking with them.

timeout · 08-29-2009, 02:05 PM

My first session is next week i will have detailed post then I hope it helps I am sick of SA

supreme.mugwump · 08-30-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timeout

My first session is next week i will have detailed post then I hope it helps I am sick of SA

Good luck Timeout! Hope it goes well for you.

Alicia2009 · 08-30-2009, 07:10 AM

Thanks for the insight.
I was totally nervous about my upcoming therapy session. I watched clips on youtube and saw that people would have to go out and face their fears while the therapist evaluates them. Since seeing that, I have canceled my sessions twice already. Now I see that It is not so bad after all.

08-05-2009, 05:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
supreme.mugwump Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 183	Post you first session experience I could be wrong about this, but I think some people on this site are probably nervous about going to a therapist for the first time, and would like to be able to get a bit of a picture of what it's like in the first session. Would people find it helpful if we posted a short story about what happened in session 1? (Please don't post negative stuff!!). E.g. people might like to know about procedures, types of questions etc. I'll go first: So for me I found that the build up to the session was much scarier than the actual session. Once I got there, the receptionist had me fill out a form with my details, and I signed to say that I had read the privacy information etc. Then the psychologist came out to get me... once in the room, she made me very comfortable very quickly. I had been scared that I wouldn't know what to say, but she had this way of knowing just what prompts to give so that I didn't get too stuck. Basically she asked if I had been to counselling before, and what brought me to see her. Once I told her about the current issue she stepped back to get a little more background info on me. I just had to answer the questions, and it really wasn't so hard after all.

08-29-2009, 11:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Toad Licker Status: Broken Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: A Fruitloop Daydream Gender: Male Age: 44 Posts: 29,596	I was extremely nervous at my first counselor appointment, I couldn't even look at her while talking. It was one of the first things she asked me about, I told her how nervous I was and had a small panic attack. So for me it was pretty bad but I did survive it though it took years before I could really look at my counselor while talking with them. __________________ All will wither, go to sleep The ones you love you may not keep All you touch will fall apart The dreams you kill will break your heart There's no mercy, there's no rest The void will scream within your chest No one knows and no one will So leave this place that makes you Ill - Madder Mortem

08-29-2009, 02:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
timeout Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: BC Canada Gender: Male Posts: 37	first one My first session is next week i will have detailed post then I hope it helps I am sick of SA

08-19-2009, 05:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
mixolydian Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Perth, Australia Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 72	Definitely the hardest parts were the making of the appontment and the wait between doing that and actually seeing the therapist, the actual session wasn't too bad. My first session was at the counselling service at my University which involved a 2 week period between the making of the appointment and the appointment itself. That was quite hard for me because I get quite bad anticipatory anxiety. When it came to the date I remember lying in bed just feeling so crap and thinking that I was such a complete failure and screw up that I was going into therapy but fortunately I was able to overcome that and force myself to the appointment. Once there it was simply a matter of filling out some confidentiality forms and then after a pretty brief wait in the waiting room I was taken into the therapising room where I was therapised. For people who are too scared to go, all I can say is you've got to force yourself to do it, it was such a relief to get my emotions off my chest and to finally feel that there was a way out of my problems. They'll be able to give you some guidance, motivation and hopefully get you the right treatment.

08-29-2009, 03:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
supreme.mugwump Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 183	Hey, good advice Mix It's very true.

08-30-2009, 07:10 AM	#8 (permalink)
Alicia2009 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Dwells of Cali-For-Nia Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 79	Thanks for the insight. I was totally nervous about my upcoming therapy session. I watched clips on youtube and saw that people would have to go out and face their fears while the therapist evaluates them. Since seeing that, I have canceled my sessions twice already. Now I see that It is not so bad after all.