Your First Session
What to expect.
Booking a first counselling session takes courage, and not knowing what's coming makes it harder. So here it is, plainly: what happens before, during, and after.
Before your session
When you book, you'll choose a time that suits you, including evenings and weekends, and receive a confirmation email. For online sessions, that email includes your Zoom link. Nothing to install beyond Zoom itself, and nothing to prepare. If you've chosen an in-person session, you'll find us at Windmill Court Office Suites on Summer Street in Limerick city centre.
Feeling nervous beforehand is completely normal. Most people are. It doesn't mean therapy isn't for you. It usually means the opposite.
The session itself
Your first session is 50 minutes, one-to-one with your counsellor. There's no couch, no interrogation, and no pressure to share anything you're not ready to share. Your counsellor will ask what's brought you to counselling, what's been going on for you lately, and what you'd like to be different. You can say as much or as little as feels right.
You're also welcome to ask questions: about your counsellor's approach, how they've helped people with similar difficulties, or anything else on your mind. A first session works both ways: it's how you find out whether this counsellor feels like the right fit for you.
Everything you say is confidential, within limits your counsellor will explain clearly at the start. They relate to safety, and they're the same for every accredited therapist in Ireland.
Afterwards
There's no obligation to continue. Take a day or two, see how it felt, and decide in your own time. If it felt right, you'll agree a plan together. For many people that's our structured 12-week framework, for others it's simply session by session. If it didn't feel right, that's okay too. Sometimes it's about the fit rather than the therapy, and we're happy to match you with a different counsellor.
The practical bits
Your first session is a €40 introductory session, half the standard rate, so you can try counselling without a big commitment. Standard sessions are €80 after that. If you need to rearrange, we ask for 48 hours' notice. And if you're in crisis right now, please don't wait for an appointment: contact Samaritans (116 123), Pieta House (1800 247 247), or emergency services (112 / 999).
When you're ready
That's all there is to it.
One conversation, 50 minutes, €40. No obligation to continue, and you'll be seen within 7 days.