ManoShala describes what you should expect in your first therapy session

Most people are nervous before their first session, but therapy can provide the guidance you need to get through this difficult period in your life. Therapy is not like going to the doctor where they only have control over your physical health - it's also important for your overall well-being, which is why it should be part of any general health plan. 

In this article, ManoShala team has described what what can you expect when you go for therapy for the first time:

1. Your therapist might not ask for your "life story"

When you meet your therapist, they might ask you questions like "How have you been lately?" or "What's the latest news?" This is to get a basic idea of how you've been doing in the past weeks and months, but they won't be asking more personal questions. This means that you don't need to prepare your "life story" in advance, because they might not ask about it at all. They might take a deeper interest in your life, or ask you about personal details that could be highly embarrassing. If this happens, it is completely normal and the therapist will only use this personal information for the purpose of assessing your situation and figuring out what kind of problems you could possibly have.

2. You don't have to reveal anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable with sharing with others.

Many people might be afraid of their therapist knowing about their past history or secrets (such as mental health issues or past sexual abuse ). If you're feeling this way, be sure to specify what these things are so that your therapist can attempt an approach that fits with your comfort level.

3. Expect a few "therapy rules".

If you've ever read any of the books or seen any TV shows about psychotherapy, you know that there are a few things your therapist is supposed to do. This can include things like no drinking during sessions and not talking about the other sessions with other patients. However, there are no actual rules that you need to adhere to at all times. Your therapist might ask you not to talk about their job in the therapy room, or they might want you not to bring up your exes in therapy sessions. What they will tell you will depend on what they feel is an effective approach, and is likely to change every week or so.

4. Don't take it personally if they don't remember certain aspects of you.

Experienced therapists usually have developed an effective brain for remembering their clients and events (such as which colour sweater you wore the last time you were there), but they might not remember everything that has happened in your life due to the large number of people they meet and counsel daily.

5. Talking about your feelings doesn't necessarily mean your therapist has to say anything.

Therapists are there to help, not to change you or make you better. This means that you shouldn't expect your therapist to tell you how you should feel. It's your job to make sure that what you're saying in therapy matches up with how you feel.

6. You might not be able to speak about certain things at all.

Your therapist might give you a list of things that are off-limits for therapy, such as religion, politics, or anything that you or the therapist might find offensive. You will be glad to know that your therapist won't be using this time to argue with your personal beliefs. Rather, they might ask you to temporarily put those aside to focus on other things. For example, if you were a religious person who wanted help for a phobia of snakes, your therapist would work with you around snake-related issues instead of telling you that it was wrong for you to fear snakes in the first place.

Henceforth, if you have any questions or concerns that you can't find what you're looking for, you can either contact ManoShala's support team, or contact us on the Facebook page.

ManoShala has a variety of therapists that you can check out. The therapists work at different levels of expertise and have different specialties that they work in, such as life crisis, depression, etc. Their quality of therapists at ManoShala is very high and empathetic. If you are interested in seeing a therapist, but are unsure if they are right for you, take a look at the FAQ section on the website to find out more about the services ManoShala offers. Also take a look at their expressive art based therapy workshops that have been helping a lot of people as an alternative or addition to talk therapy.

You can visit their website manoshala.com or drop a mail on community@manoshala.com to get further details.