What to expect from an initial consultation with a therapist?
An initial consultation is usually the first chance to meet the therapist you’re considering working with. Maybe you’ve had a brief conversation or email exchange with them already and now you’re going to meet them either in-person or online. Every therapist will usually have their own format for an initial consultation and here I outline what to expect from an consultation with me:
What is an initial consultation:
It is an opportunity for you and me to meet, either in-person or online. The purpose of this meeting is for us both to assess whether I am the right therapist to work with you.
This meeting is charged at my standard rate, unless we’ve agreed a reduced fee.
We’ll have 50 minutes available (the length of a full therapy session) and so this will give you a feel for what it might be like to work with me.
I’ll ask a bit more about you and I may make some notes as we are talking. This is the only time that I’ll be making notes in front of you, and I aim to make the consultation as conversational as possible. Some of the things I usually hold in mind and may ask:
Tell me a bit more about what brings you to therapy
How is your health
How are your relationships and support systems
What is your experience and expectation of therapy
I may ask some more specific questions as we talk and I’m doing all this to get a better understanding of your current and past health and wellbeing. This helps me to work out if I’m a suitable person to work with you and also helps to inform how I may work with you and any additional support that could be helpful.
Throughout, I welcome any questions you may want to ask. Maybe you want to check something about this meeting, the questions I’m asking, how we may work together, how I handle your personal information, or something else. It’s important that this is an opportunity for us both to work out if this will be a good fit, and so we’ll ensure there’s space for us both to ask and say what we need.
What happens afterwards:
At the end of the meeting, I usually suggest we take some time to think it over and let me know either way what you’d like to do. If you want to arrange your first therapy session, then we’ll agree a time and I’ll send you a contract for therapy services which outlines the terms.
How we get on is important and if there is something telling you that maybe this isn’t a good fit for you then I completely understand. I want therapy to be a helpful experience and would encourage you to find what you need.
If there is a reason that I don’t think I’ll be a suitable person to work with you, then I’ll let you know and if you’d like, I can suggest some alternative sources of support. I appreciate this can sometimes feel disappointing but it is unethical for me to work with anyone if I don’t think I’m going to be a suitable therapist.
If you have further questions about what to expect from the initial consultation or anything else related to therapy with me, you are welcome to get in contact. My website has further information about the practicalities. If you want to get started and explore possibly working together, then I offer a free introductory phone call before arranging the consultation.
Last updated 05/08/2026