Your First Therapy Session: What to Expect
The hardest session is often the one you have not had yet. Knowing what to expect takes some of the weight out of the first step.
It starts with a no-obligation conversation
The first meeting is an initial consultation — around fifty minutes, free of charge, and explicitly without commitment. Its purpose is not to begin treatment on the spot but to let both of us get a feel for whether my way of working fits what you are bringing. You are interviewing me at least as much as the other way around.
What we will actually talk about
There is no test and nothing to prepare. Usually we will touch on what brings you now, a little of the background that feels relevant, and what you are hoping might be different. You set the pace. If something is too raw to go into on day one, you can say so, and we will leave it for when you are ready. Tears, blanks, and "I don't know where to start" are all completely normal — most first sessions contain at least one of them.
What you do not have to do
- You do not have to have your problem clearly defined. "Something is off and I can't name it" is a perfectly good place to begin.
- You do not have to commit to a course of therapy to attend the consultation.
- You do not have to perform being okay, or being not-okay. You can just be however you arrive.
The question of fit
Fit is not a small thing — it is one of the better predictors of whether therapy helps. If at the end it does not feel right, that is useful information, not a failure, and I will gladly help point you toward something that might suit you better. Finding the right person matters more than starting immediately with the first one you meet.
Confidentiality
What you say in the room stays in the room. As a psychotherapist I am bound by statutory confidentiality under Section 45 of the Austrian Psychotherapy Act. You can speak freely, including about things you have never said out loud to anyone.
The practical details
Is there anything to prepare?
Nothing is required. If it helps you feel steadier, you might jot down a sentence or two about what made you reach out, or any questions you want to ask me — but arriving empty-handed is completely fine. Many people find they barely glance at notes once we start talking.
What if I cry, or go blank?
Both are ordinary and welcome. Strong feeling is not a loss of control to apologize for; it is often the most honest thing in the room. And if you go blank — if the careful explanation you rehearsed evaporates the moment you sit down — that is fine too. We have time, and finding the words together is part of the work, not a prerequisite for it.
How booking works
You can get in touch through the contact form, by email, or by phone or message, in English or German. I usually reply within two business days, and we find a time for the initial consultation from there. There is no intake bureaucracy to wade through before a human answers.
Sessions can take place in person in Linz or online across Austria, in English or German, whichever lets you do the work most freely. After the first meeting there is no pressure: you take whatever time you need to decide whether and how to continue. The only step that asks anything of you is the first one — and it is a smaller step than it looks from here.