Because we will be working together on personal and professional issues it is important that we both feel comfortable. The first session is designed as sort of an interview for both of us. I will ask you questions concerning what brought you to counseling and gather a brief history where this issue is concerned. You can use this time to ask questions about counseling and discuss any concerns that you may have as you are starting the counseling process.

I recommend weekly appointments as we get started and can take time to reevaluate the frequency of appointments as we move further through the therapy process. It is important to know and realize that often times in therapy your anxiety, depression, and behaviors can seem to get worse as you work through whatever it is that brought you to therapy. This is an important time and means that there is movement toward more balance and more self confidence within you. Acknowledging that this can and sometimes does happen can help to alleviate the symptoms that might get worse and help keep you present with the process. We will work together to be aware of any changes and set up coping skills and increased support as you move through some difficult feelings.

The road to a balanced life can be difficult but at the end of that road is a positive, productive, self confident person. The steps to a balanced life:

• Acknowledging that there is a problem
• Making a decision to work through the issues that created the problem
• Selecting a therapist
• Making a commitment to work with the therapist through the necessary steps to a balanced life
• Becoming the person you want to be