[run2pee]

Originally Posted by reprise85

Will prob ask you why you decided to come to therapy, basically if there is a certain event you can pinpoint or if it's been slow burning, etc, or if it's a certain symptom

They may have you take a written assessment (multiple choice/true false type) but probably not.

Will probably ask about:
1. family history of mental illness
2. your history of all illness (mental/physical)
3. trauma history which can be short or extensive, including medical trauma/head injury along with mental/physical/sexual abuse and neglect, etc
4. substance abuse history (please be honest with this or at least don't deny you do smoke weed "sometimes")
5. sexual and spiritual orientations
6. current support system
7. if you talk about depression they will ask if you are suicidal or have ever been, if you talk about anxiety they will ask about panic attacks, severe trauma they will ask about flashbacks, basically all the extreme manifestations that would indicate a likely/easy diagnosis
8. if you've ever been arrested/convicted etc

They might ask you about specific symptoms (appetite, if you enjoy life, how your sleep is, if you ever feel really really good (manic), if you can concentrate, if you enjoy work, etc) if they don't come up organically.

It is really important to be compatible with your therapist. For me that includes liking them as a person. I think you can get a sense of this within the first few sessions. You are paying for them to listen but not to care, and there's a difference. They have to actually be a caring person to be good at talk therapy IMO with the possible exception of strict CBT.

So yeah I'd expect it to be general "so what brings you to therapy..." and based on your answers it will flow through all of those steps. It might take multiple sessions to get through them all and I'm probably missing some stuff.

I recently started seeing a new psychiatrist so I had a lot to start with and pretty much knew how to go through it all, first time is tough though for sure. Just answer their questions as best as you can. It's normal to feel overwhelmed and emotional or just the opposite. And this may sound dumb but you might lie and that's okay. Try not to but you will come out with stuff when you're ready. That goes for things you've done/bad habits (like drug use) and stuff done to you. Assuming you have decent health insurance or can otherwise afford long term therapy, you have a lot of time.

Thank u thank u thank u for taking the time to write this out. This really helps so much. Must spread etc