Guide
What to expect in your first therapy session, before and after.
Not knowing what happens once you walk in, or log on, can be reason enough to put therapy off. This guide covers what to expect in your first therapy session with Erin L. Smith, MSPC, LPCC, LPC: what comes before it, what the session is for, and what tends to follow. You do not need a tidy story or the right words to begin.
01Guide
Before: a free 15-minute consultation
The first step is not the first session. It is a free 15-minute telehealth call, and it costs nothing and commits you to nothing. You describe what has been going on in your own words, Erin walks you through her approach and takes your questions about insurance and scheduling, and together you decide whether to book a first session. Nobody signs anything, and you can take time to think it over afterward if you need to. You book the call through her secure SimplePractice client portal, which opens in a new tab.
02Guide
Getting ready for the first session
Most therapy practices ask for some intake paperwork before a first appointment, so if forms arrive, give them a calm few minutes. If you will use insurance, verify your benefits first. In Kentucky, you can meet Erin in person at her Georgetown office or by telehealth. Sessions for Arizona and Minnesota are telehealth only, and wherever you join from, it has to be inside one of her three licensed states. One policy is worth knowing early: cancel with less than 24 hours' notice and you are charged for the full session.
03Guide
What to expect in the first session itself
Erin's main focus at the start is the therapeutic relationship, because a good connection is what the rest of the work stands on. Expect questions about your history, the context of your life right now, and what already steadies you when things get hard. This is not the session for digging into the hardest thing you have been through. Deeper work comes once enough safety and support are in place to hold it. You decide how much to share, and your own questions are welcome at any point.
04Guide
Goals start to take shape together
Over the first sessions, you begin naming what you want to be different, concretely enough that you can both tell whether things are moving. Erin builds those goals with you rather than handing you a ready-made plan. Her style is strength-based, so part of the early work is noticing coping skills you already have. When a method comes up, such as CBT, DBT or Accelerated Resolution Therapy, she explains what she would use and why, and nothing is used without your agreement. If something is not helping, say so. She will ask you directly anyway.
05Guide
After: what is normal, and what comes next
It is common to leave a first session tired, a little stirred up, or lighter than you expected, and any of those is normal. Talking about your life out loud takes energy, so leave some room afterward if you can. Over the next few days, notice what came up and bring it with you next time. From there, sessions move into the work itself, toward the goals you set, with open conversation about what is helping. Therapy here is not meant to be permanent. The aim is to finish well once your goals are met.
Before your first session
- Book the free 15-minute consultation
- Check your benefits if using insurance
- Know which state you will be in
- Leave some breathing room afterward
If any of these feel unclear, they are fair questions to ask before your first session.
Questions
Common questions
- Do I have to talk about trauma in my first session?
- No. The first sessions center on getting to know each other, your history and what steadies you. Erin puts safety and support in place before any deeper work and will not push you toward the hardest material early. When you are ready, you choose the next step together.
- Can my first session be by telehealth?
- Yes. You can join by telehealth from anywhere within Kentucky, Arizona or Minnesota. What counts is where you are physically during the session, not where you live or where your insurance was issued. In Kentucky, meeting in person at the Georgetown office is also an option.
- What if it does not feel like a fit?
- Say so. Open conversation about what is and is not working is part of how Erin works. If she believes another clinician would suit you better, she will be honest about it. Fit is something you can both keep an eye on, and it is fine to raise it at any point.
In Erin's words
What she would say if you called today.
The first session is mostly about getting to know you. My main focus is our relationship, because a good connection is what makes the rest of the work possible. We go at a pace you agree to, and I will always tell you what I am suggesting and why.
Free 15-minute consultation
Book a consultation with Erin
Fifteen minutes by telehealth, at no charge. You can describe what is going on, ask how Erin works, and decide afterward whether to book a first session. Scheduling opens in her secure SimplePractice portal.
Schedule your free consultationOpens the SimplePractice client portal in a new tab.
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