Is your first marriage counseling session coming up? How do you know what to expect from the therapist or counselor? Or what to expect of yourself? Whatever you’re seeking help for in Newport Beach or Orange County, you’ll see faster results if you know what to expect from your first marriage counseling session.
What Your First Marriage Counseling Session May Look Like
The Basic Session
Most counseling sessions last 45 minutes, but marriage counseling sessions are sometimes an hour long. People seek counseling for many reasons, so there’s no way to know exactly what will happen during a session. You’re a unique individual so your counselor will personalize your treatment.
Prepare For Your Session
Before your first marriage counseling session, describe the specific issue that brought you and how you feel about it. The most important thing is to say what’s on your mind and what’s bothering you. The more open and honest you can be with yourself and your therapist in the first session, the easier it will be to develop a treatment plan and goals for feeling better.
What Will We Talk About?
As mentioned, couples seek counseling for a variety of reasons, so what is discussed will be specific to your marriage. However, if your first marriage counseling session, we’ll want to get to the root of the issue. This may mean that the session involves more questions than what you may think of as therapy. Therapists are trained to ask the right question, but we cannot read minds. A particular issue probably led you to seek counseling and it’s important for the therapist to get to know you, your spouse, and your relationship.
Ending a Session
In the last few minutes the first marriage counseling session it’s common to review what information has been discovered and come up with a treatment plan. This is a good time to ask questions about the process or anything that was not clearly understood. The more you understand the process the more likely you are to be comfortable in future marriage counseling sessions.
Your First Marriage Counseling Session with Jennifer De Francisco
It is important to have realistic expectations of the first marriage counseling session. The first session is generally a consultation about gathering information and developing the therapeutic connection. A strong, trusting relationship with the therapist and the environment will be beneficial for treatment to reach the end goal of feeling better as quickly as possible. Many people feel immediate relief after the first session, but every case is different and how often you return will depend on your situation and how often you would like to come in. As you become comfortable there is no shortage of topics you may discuss.
If you are located in the Newport Beach or Orange County area and are looking for a marriage counselor to help you strengthen your marriage, reach out to Jennifer De Francisco, LCSW at (949) 251-8797 or make an appointment on our website.