How to prepare for your first online psychology session

You are about to start online therapy and you are not quite sure what to expect or how to prepare. This is completely normal. In this article I give you practical tips so that your first session is comfortable and productive.

Choose a quiet, private space

This is the most important point. You need a place where you can:

• Talk without being overheard: close the door, let your family or flatmates know
• Not be interrupted: put your phone on silent, close your computer notifications
• Feel comfortable: a sofa, your desk, your room... whatever works for you

It doesn't have to be a perfect office. Many patients do the session from their bedroom, from a parked car, or even from a park with headphones. What matters is privacy.

Get the technology ready

Before the session, make sure you have:

• A good internet connection: preferably wired or WiFi close to the router
• A working camera and microphone: do a quick test beforehand
• Enough battery: or keep the charger nearby
• Headphones: they improve sound quality and privacy

If something goes wrong at the start of the session, don't worry. Your psychologist is used to it and you will adapt without any problem.

What to expect from the first session

The first session of online therapy is very similar to an in-person one:

• The first few minutes are for getting to know each other and creating a space of trust
• They will ask you why you have decided to start therapy: you don't need to have a speech prepared, just say how you feel
• They will ask questions to understand your situation: personal history, family context, work...
• At the end, you will agree together on how to continue: frequency, goals, approach

It's normal to feel nervous. It's normal not to know where to start. It's normal to cry. All of that is fine and your psychologist knows it.

Tips that make a difference

After thousands of online sessions at El Teu Espai, these are the tips that help the most:

• Don't sugarcoat reality: therapy works better when you are honest
• Note down what you want to talk about: sometimes in the moment you forget what was on your mind
• Don't worry about silences: they are part of the process, you don't have to fill them
• End the session calmly: give yourself 10 minutes afterwards to process what you talked about, don't jump straight into another activity

What if the online format isn't right for me?

That is perfectly legitimate. If after one or two sessions you feel that the online format is not for you, you can switch to in-person without any problem. At El Teu Espai we offer a hybrid format: you can alternate between online and in-person depending on what works best for you.

What matters is that you take the step of starting. The format is secondary.

Next step

If you want to start online therapy with our team of registered psychologists, write to us on WhatsApp or visit our online therapy page for more information.