Taking the Pressure Out of Your First Appointment for Emotional Support

When it comes to your emotional well-being, making an appointment to get help can seem like a fairly simple process. After all, you pick up the phone, make the appointment, and then show up. For most people it is that simple but for some the phone call is only the beginning of the larger nightmare.

They may spend days after wondering if they even needed to make the appointment in the first place. Then time is spent worrying about what you are going to say, is anyone going to take you seriously, how you will look and sound to whomever is giving you help. For others, all of those things are why they don’t make the phone call for the appointment at all.

The hardest thing ever is admitting that you need help. I know that it was for me and I didn’t make the phone when I should have. The phone that was made for me was 911 when it was almost too late. Looking back now there were plenty of chances for me to place a call and get to a better place. 

If you have made that phone call then congratulations! You have already completed the most difficult part of the whole process. 

You don’t have to wait until things get really bad

If you have not already made that phone but feel like, even for a single second, that you need to know that you don’t have to be in the middle of a crisis. I waited until things got bad. Plenty of people don’t and they are the smart ones. 

 Maybe you’ve been feeling really overwhelmed with your day-to-day responsibilities. Maybe you’re going through some changes with your family. Maybe you’re stressed at work. Maybe things that used to bring you joy just don’t feel quite as enjoyable anymore.

You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. You don’t need to decide if your situation is bad enough to warrant attention. If something is impacting your happiness, your relationships, your sleep, or your ability to get through your day, then it’s worth talking about.

And certainly, you don’t need to wait until you’re completely exhausted or worse before you do something about it.

Find the right type of support for you

Most people think about the classic sitting across from a counselor or therapist when thinking about getting help. While that is certainly one route to go it is not the only way to get the help needed. There are so many different types of help available today. For example I attended a horse therapy program that I loved. It helped me so much and I can tell you how many of my feelings I poured out to the horses at each session. 

Yes, I spoke with a therapist as well but it helped to have something to tell all of the thoughts in my head without any form of judgement. The horses didn’t care. They just needed me to care for them and it worked well for me. You could be interested in working with an arts therapist that will allow you to express yourself without words.

What happens at that first appointment?

I think people find it hard to go for the first appointment because they don’t know what to expect. They’ve already spent so much time worrying about whether to make the appointment or not, that going for the first time can be a very scary experience.

Most first appointments are a chance for the provider to get to know you and your circumstances. Whether you are visiting a counselor, therapist, or someone offering mental health services, they will want to know why you have come for help, what you are experiencing and a little about your medical history and current circumstances.

You may have to fill out some paperwork but as I said earlier, nobody likes paperwork, even more so when you are feeling nervous about the appointment.

Remember you do not have to disclose everything on the first visit. Take your time, there is no need to rush into things. You can always tell the provider that there are some things you are not ready to discuss yet.

Ask how the sessions are going to work. What can you expect from future sessions? How will your confidentiality be maintained? There are some legal exceptions to confidentiality, so your provider will be able to explain these to you.

Write down what you want to say

I know I have gone to the doctor’s office with a list of questions only to forget most of them by the time I get home. Sometimes people who are feeling nervous about their first appointment for emotional support can also get very nervous about what they are going to say.

Before you go write down some of the things you have been struggling with. It may be that you are not sleeping well, crying more than usual, feeling anxious or just finding it hard to get through the day. You don’t have to write a novel. Just jot down a few things that you can refer to during the appointment.