Most people arrive at a first appointment expecting either a couch or a diagnosis. It is neither.
Before you arrive
You will be asked to complete a short intake form with your contact details, Medicare information, GP details and a brief description of what brings you in. Arrive about ten minutes early to finish it, or complete it at home if reception has emailed it to you.
The first ten minutes
Your psychologist will explain confidentiality — what stays in the room, and the narrow circumstances in which it cannot. Those exceptions are: a serious risk to your safety or someone else's, a court subpoena, and mandatory reporting of harm to a child. Nothing else leaves the room without your written consent.
The middle
This is mostly questions. What is happening now, when it started, what you have already tried, your health, your sleep, your family, your work, what a good day looks like. Some of it will feel only loosely related to what you came in about. It usually turns out to be relevant.
The last ten minutes
Your psychologist will summarise what they have heard and suggest a direction — a way of understanding the problem and an approach to it. You will agree on roughly how many sessions to start with and when to review.
What it is not
You will not be diagnosed on the spot, told what to do, or asked to talk about anything you are not ready to discuss. If you leave feeling it was not the right fit, tell reception. Changing psychologists is common and no one takes offence.
The single best predictor of whether therapy works is the quality of the relationship between client and therapist. It is worth getting that right.