Seeing a therapist for the first time is a bit challenging, after all, you will be pouring out your life story to a complete stranger. You will probably feel stiff and formal at first. This will pass as you get to know your therapist. You will probably experience many emotions, embarrassment, fear, guilt, just because you are talking to a stranger. Normal. Key points to keep in mind are they are there to help, they are professionals, they have most likely heard more strange things than you can ever imagine, be honest and open. Therapy is not a get well quick type of thing, expect progress to be slow, you didn’t get the way you are overnight and you will not improve overnight. Give it your best and let us know how it’s going.

I wish u look with seeing a therapist for your anxiety. I hope it helps u. I have seen a therapist and I want to start seeing a therapist for my anxiety too. I know how you feel. Best wishes. Hugs

That's great to hear! Good for you! Therapy is going to help you so much. I talk to a therapist for my anxiety and it helps me greatly.

Be honest with them, tell them about your anxiety... when does it happen, what you think it is, what you've been trying so far (I know you have tried a few things already, so just tell them what things you have tried). It's okay if you're nervous at first, that's completely understandable. I think once you start talking, the words will flow freely. Seeing a therapist is like seeing a doctor... the more you can tell them, the more they can help you.

Good luck and let us know how it's going. Good job!!

First you want to prepare. Consider having 2 or 3 issues you want to address.

I am so glad that you are seeing a therapist. Although it is new, and it may even seem awkward at first, the more that you talk and get to know your therapist, the better you will start to feel getting it all out. I have been dealing with Anxiety and Panic Attacks my whole life and I was seeing a therapist in the very beginning. It helped me out a lot, and then once I was stable on my mediation that the therapist prescribed me, I never really went back just because I thought that I did not need a therapist anymore. I went several years like this until my Anxiety and Panic came back to me even worse than it did my first time I ever experienced it. I have just recently started talking to another psychiatrist and I am going to continue to do so. It is really so important. It is great that you can be on medication to help you, but it never truly takes away your Anxiety or Panic, it will lessen it, but you need to be getting therapy and talking to someone as well. The two go together and I found this out the hard way. Wish you nothing but the very best and keep us all updated :)

I work to suspend my judgements and expectations as far as possible with each and every step of my therapy process, be it a licensed pro, a meetup with a fellow sufferer, or a new therapy tool. Judgements and expectations are an all-natural human phenom, so I forgive myself when I can't keep an entirely open mind and heart, but I do work to manage those expectations and judgements. Therapy is a process, not a magic wand affair. Whichever recovery tools I choose, none of it works unless I work it.

But that is me and every case is unique. . .

Keep us posted, Purple. Gentle support while you find what works for you.

Just be real with him or her———it does help to see someone, I do and sometimes the next day I am really out of whack, anxiety, lethargic but it confirms it was effective or thats what I tell myself anyway. I do mindfulness meditation——try to walk every day even for ten minutes, and right now I am in the stage of balancing the medication which I sometimes question if its the right one for me, only causes more anxiety. To see a psychologist or counsellor, whatever is nothing to look down upon, its a sign of strength, and like like Arfie says——-you need to work on it yourself to progress.

Hmm. It depends on your expectations, how the appointment was set up, and what the purpose of the appointment is actually for.

Evaluation of the process takes time.

Choose the most important facts that brought you to this option. Facts, not feelings. That way, you can have a plan of action to work with.

Best wishes.

It’s different for everyone depending on the therapist and what not but based on my experience the thing I didn’t expect was to feel emotionally discombobulated for a few days after the first few sessions. I just think stuff gets kicked up a bit as the process begins so it can feel a little unsettling at first. So I’d say you may experience some initial discomfort that you can’t shake the minute your session is over. It’s manageable and worth it in the long run though.