frequently Asked Questions

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Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it’s natural to be nervous. It can be scary to think of opening up or crying in front of someone new, perhaps fearing that it will be awkward and uncomfortable. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Going to therapy even when you are nervous is not easy. It may take courage to take those steps. You reading this now shows that you are already stepping in the right direction.

Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can email me for a free phone consultation where you can ask me what a typical session with me is like, how I work as a therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific to you. You will also be able to discuss what’s on your mind and we can decide together how I can help.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

For most of my clients, it can feel scary to open up. During our sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. We will collaborate on understanding what you feel ready to open up about. Together we will work through the difficult stuff.

You can also share with me that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you or whatever you are going through, bring that to session and we can explore it together.

It can be concerning feeling like things you say or do in therapy could “get out.” So I want you to know that unless you are in danger or someone else is, your story is confidential and your time in the session is protected. Your privacy and trust are of utmost importance.

You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you think that therapy will be an overwhelming process. If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing small amounts of growth after the first 3-5 sessions. By that point,  they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 6-12 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy. We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which we start getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what has worked or not worked for your mental wellness in the past. Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:

• What’s present for you in your life right now?
• Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
• What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about about my experice or how future sessions work. The most important part of a first session is to experience what therapy is like with me. If you feel supported, seen, and at-ease with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

I’m here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can discuss what’s on your mind and we can decide together how I can help. Email me today to get your free phone consultation at sarah@sarahmusichlcsw.com.