The first psychological session is almost always accompanied by doubts, and a certain amount of embarrassment. This is normal: you go to talk about yourself with someone you don't know. Knowing in advance how it works removes at least part of the uncertainty.
What happens during the first meeting
The first meeting mainly serves to understand what brings you here now. There is no questionnaire to fill out nor a diagnosis to receive: we talk about what you are experiencing, for how long, how it affects your day, what you have already tried to do. I listen and ask some questions to get a clearer picture.
You will also be asked something about your history and the context in which you live — family, work, relationships — not out of curiosity, but because a symptom can only be understood within the situation in which it arose.
How long it lasts and how it ends
The session lasts about fifty minutes. At the end, I give you an initial interpretation of what you have told me and tell you frankly if I think I can be helpful, what kind of path would make sense and at what frequency. If I believe something else is needed — a medical evaluation, a colleague with a different specialization — I will tell you.
From there, it's up to you. A first meeting does not commit you to continue.
How to prepare
You don't need to prepare a speech. If it helps, you can come with two things in mind: how long the situation has been going on, and what you would like to be different in six months. It is not mandatory to have an answer to either.
If you are already taking prescribed medication or have had previous therapy, it is useful to mention it: it changes how the work is set up.
There is no judgment, and there is professional confidentiality
The therapeutic space is a protected environment where you can say even things you haven't told anyone else. Everything that is said is covered by professional confidentiality, which binds the psychologist by law and by the code of ethics.
The questions I am asked most often
Do I need to have a serious problem to see a psychologist?
No. Many therapy paths begin during transitional phases, or simply because something doesn't feel right. Waiting for the situation to get worse is not a helpful approach.
Will I have to talk about my entire childhood?
Not in the first session, and not if you don't feel up to it. We proceed at the pace the person can handle.
What if I don't feel comfortable?
You can say so, even right away. The therapeutic relationship is a working tool: if it doesn't work, it's right to acknowledge it and, if useful, be referred to another professional.
How to schedule a first meeting
You can contact me by phone, WhatsApp or email. I receive clients at my office in Florence, at Via Tommaso Campanella 5, in the Campo di Marte – Coverciano area, and online. If you're not sure yet whether you need a psychologist or a psychotherapist, I discuss it here.
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