Questions for your first session

You’ve noticed patterns in your child that you find yourself difficult to cope with. Your child is experiencing excessive fears, stress, anger, they may be struggling to make or maintain friendships, or are struggling in school. You consulted family members, teachers, and with your child, and reached the decision of working with a psychologist. You did your research of the available psychologists in your area, and booked your first session for yourself and your child.

Now what?

Here is a list of questions you can prepare to ask your psychologist. These can help create an idea of how this professional works, if their approach aligns with your family values, adjust your expectations and make the process more familiar to you. Win-Win!

Ask about expectations:

“How long do you expect therapy will take?”

It is most likely that the psychologist will not be able to give you a definite answer, especially without seeing your child yet, however, knowing an approximation can help you modify your expectations, and organise your finances accordingly.

“What are your expectations of me and my child during our work together?”

Your psychologist should be very upfront about this with you. Knowing your role and expectations of your child contribute greatly to therapeutic success.

“What are your goals for my child?”

Goals should be collaboratively created, involving your child, your psychologist and of course yourself. Everyone involved with your child should be aware of these goals (professionals, teachers, family members).

Ask about your responsibilities:

“How will you involve me in my child’s journey?”

The level of your involvement varies greatly according to your child’s age and developmental level. You can imagine how differently you will be involved if your child is 5 years old, compared to 17 years old. It is an important question to ask, as to adjust your expectations.

“How can I support my child’s progress outside of your sessions?”

Most of the work and progress will occur in your child’s daily life, not in their sessions. Your role in supporting your child is of utmost importance in this regard.  

“How will we communicate about my child’s progress?”

It is important to know how involved you will be in the content of the sessions, and the following work outside their sessions. Do you prefer communication to be done in person after each session? Would you rather have a separate session monthly to further discuss progress, concerns, questions? Is email adequate for you? Communicate this with your psychologist so that you can come to an agreement.

Ask about their work:

“What is your approach to therapy?”

There are many approaches to therapy following different paths, techniques and interventions. You want to ensure that their approach aligns with your family’s values.

 “What types of interventions will you use?”

You may want to research the approach yourself, as well as any specific intervention techniques. It can be helpful to know more about the route they will choose to take.

“How much experience do you have working with this age group and this goal?”

It is important to ensure that the specialist you’re working with has the correct training and has worked with your child’s age group. Not every psychologist has. This way you will be sure their knowledge and expectations of your child’s progress will be aligned with their developmental stage.

Need more info about a first session with a psychologist? This blog post includes information of what to expect from your first session.