What actually happens in a first session

Your first session is mostly a conversation. Your therapist will ask what brings you in, what you’ve already tried and what you hope might change. You don’t need to prepare anything, and there are no wrong answers.

Knowing roughly how the hour unfolds can make it easier to walk through the door. Here’s what a first session at Attune usually looks like.

Before you arrive

By the time you meet your therapist, you’ll already have spoken with Nora, our intake coordinator, on a short call. She’ll have shared the basics, so you won’t need to repeat your whole story from the start. We’ll email a few consent forms to sign online beforehand. They take about ten minutes.

If you’re coming in person, plan to arrive five minutes early. There’s tea in the waiting room. If you’re joining online, find a quiet space where you won’t be overheard, and test your camera and sound once.

The first ten minutes

You’ll go over the practical things: confidentiality and its limits, how scheduling and fees work, and what to do if you need to cancel. It’s a good moment to ask anything that’s on your mind, including questions about your therapist’s approach and training.

The middle of the session

Your therapist will invite you to talk about what’s been happening. They may ask about your background, relationships, work, sleep and health, to get a fuller picture of your life. You decide how much to share. It’s fine to say “I’m not ready to talk about that yet.”

Some people talk easily; others find it hard to know where to start. Both are completely normal. Your therapist will guide the conversation and won’t expect you to fill the silence.

The last fifteen minutes

Toward the end, you’ll talk together about what you’d like to work on and how often it makes sense to meet. Many people start weekly, then space sessions out as things improve. Your therapist may share first impressions of what could help, in plain language.

How you might feel afterward

It’s common to feel relieved, tired or a little raw after a first session. Talking about difficult things takes energy. Plan something gentle for the rest of the day if you can: a walk, a quiet meal, an early night.

Is it the right fit?

One session is enough to notice whether you feel heard, and whether you could imagine talking to this person again. It isn’t always enough to know for sure. We usually suggest giving it three sessions before deciding.

If it doesn’t feel right, tell us. Switching therapists is a normal part of finding the right support, and Nora will help you find someone who fits better.