Starting therapy can feel uncertain. Here's what to expect at every step of your journey with SafeTherapy, from your first contact to lasting change.
We've designed our process to be straightforward, comfortable, and centered entirely around your needs and goals. Here's how we work together.
Your journey begins with a brief, confidential 15-minute conversation by phone or video, completely free and no-pressure. This is your opportunity to share a bit about what's bringing you to therapy, ask any questions you have, and get a sense of whether SafeTherapy and Emily feel like a good fit for you.
If you choose to move forward, you'll begin meeting with Emily for individualized therapy sessions tailored to your specific needs and goals. Together, you'll develop strategies, explore insights, and work through challenges in a supportive, non-judgmental environment designed for real progress.
As you progress, you'll apply the coping mechanisms, perspectives, and skills you've gained to your daily life. Our goal is to equip you with tools for lasting mental wellness and resilience, so you can navigate future challenges with greater confidence, clarity, and independence.
After you reach out via our contact form, phone, or email, Emily (or her assistant) will respond to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. This conversation can happen by phone or video, whichever you prefer.
During the consultation, Emily will ask you a few gentle questions about what's been going on and what prompted you to seek therapy. She'll also ask what you're hoping to get out of therapy and whether you have any specific goals in mind. This isn't a full therapy session, it's more like a get-to-know-you conversation.
Your main task is to show up and be honest. Share what feels comfortable to share. If you're nervous or unsure what to say, that's completely normal, Emily will guide the conversation and make it as easy as possible.
Come prepared with any questions you have. Common questions include:
Emily will listen carefully, answer your questions openly and honestly, and give you a sense of whether SafeTherapy might be a good fit for your needs. If she doesn't think she's the right therapist for you, perhaps because your needs fall outside her area of expertise, she'll be upfront about it and can often provide referrals to other providers.
At the end of the consultation, there's no pressure to commit. You can take time to think about it, and if you decide to move forward, you'll schedule your first full session. If you decide it's not the right fit, that's completely okay, Emily will respect your decision.
Once you've decided to move forward, your therapy journey truly begins. Here's what this phase looks like in detail.
Your first full session, often called an "intake" or "assessment," typically lasts 50 minutes. Emily will use this time to learn about you holistically. She'll ask about your current concerns and symptoms, your goals for therapy, your personal history (including family background, significant life events, relationships, work, and past mental health treatment), and your strengths, coping strategies, and resources.
This session is collaborative and conversational. While Emily will guide the discussion with questions, you're encouraged to share what feels important and ask questions of your own. The intake is not about judging you, it's about understanding you so that therapy can be as helpful as possible.
Be as open and honest as you can. The more Emily knows about your experiences, the better she can tailor therapy to your needs. If there are topics you're not ready to discuss yet, that's okay, you can share more over time as trust builds.
You'll also complete some brief paperwork before or during this session, including informed consent forms, privacy policies, and potentially a short questionnaire to assess symptoms.
Emily will create a warm, non-judgmental space where you feel safe to share. By the end of the intake, she'll offer some initial impressions, reflections, or observations, often helping you see patterns or connections you hadn't noticed. She may also suggest a general direction for your work together and discuss practical details like session frequency and what to expect going forward.
In the next two to three sessions, you and Emily will work together to set specific, meaningful, and achievable therapy goals. These might be symptom-focused (e.g., "reduce panic attacks," "feel less depressed"), relationship-focused (e.g., "communicate better with my partner"), or growth-focused (e.g., "build confidence," "clarify my values").
During this phase, Emily will also begin introducing tools and strategies tailored to your goals and challenges. For example, if you're working on anxiety, you might learn breathing exercises, thought-challenging techniques, or grounding practices. If you're navigating a life transition, you might explore your values and create an action plan.
You'll also start to identify patterns, recurring thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that contribute to your struggles, and begin to explore where those patterns come from and how they can shift.
Engage actively in goal-setting. Think about what you want to be different in your life and what "success" in therapy looks like for you. Emily will help you refine and clarify these goals, but your input is essential.
Practice any skills or exercises Emily suggests between sessions. This homework isn't burdensome, it might be as simple as trying a breathing technique when you feel anxious, journaling about a specific topic, or noticing a particular pattern in your daily life. These between-session practices are crucial for making progress.
Emily will tailor her approach to your individual needs, preferences, and learning style. She'll provide clear explanations for any techniques or concepts, check in regularly about what's working and what's not, and adjust the approach as needed. You're partners in this process, your feedback shapes the direction of therapy.
Most of therapy happens in these ongoing sessions, which typically occur weekly (or bi-weekly once you're stabilized and making progress). Each session usually follows a loose structure:
The content of sessions varies widely depending on your needs. Some sessions might be heavily focused on skills and strategies (e.g., learning how to challenge anxious thoughts). Others might be more exploratory and emotional (e.g., processing grief or examining how childhood experiences shape current struggles). Flexibility is key, if something urgent or important comes up, the agenda can shift.
Show up, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Engage with the work, share honestly, practice skills between sessions, and reflect on what you're learning. Therapy requires effort, but you're not doing it alone, Emily is there to guide, support, and walk alongside you.
Be patient with yourself. Change takes time, and progress is rarely linear. You might have setbacks or difficult weeks, and that's normal. What matters is that you keep showing up and keep working.
Emily provides a consistent, supportive presence. She'll offer insights, challenge you gently when needed, celebrate your progress, and help you navigate setbacks with compassion and problem-solving. She'll also check in regularly about your goals, adjust the treatment plan as needed, and ensure that therapy continues to feel relevant and helpful.
Every few months (or as needed), you and Emily will take a step back to review your progress. How are you doing relative to your initial goals? What's changed? What still feels challenging? Are there new goals to add or old ones to revise?
Reflect honestly on your experience. What's been helpful? What hasn't? Are there things you'd like more or less of in sessions? Your feedback is invaluable and helps Emily tailor therapy to serve you better.
Emily will use these check-ins to celebrate your progress, identify areas that need more attention, and adjust the therapeutic approach as needed. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all, and these reviews ensure that the work remains personalized and effective.
Therapy doesn't last forever, and that's by design. The ultimate goal is to equip you with the tools, insights, and resilience you need to navigate life independently. When you and Emily agree that you've made significant progress, met your goals, and feel confident moving forward, you'll begin planning for an ending.
Endings can take different forms. Some clients choose to "taper" by spacing sessions out gradually, moving from weekly to bi-weekly to monthly check-ins, before stopping altogether. This allows you to practice managing on your own while still having a safety net. Other clients prefer a more definitive conclusion, perhaps with a final "check-in" session scheduled a few months later.
Apply what you've learned. The real measure of therapy's success is how the skills, insights, and changes show up in your everyday life. Continue practicing coping strategies, challenging unhelpful patterns, and treating yourself with compassion.
It's also helpful to reflect on your therapy experience: What did you learn? What changed? What do you want to keep doing? Some clients find it meaningful to write down key insights or strategies to refer back to in the future.
Emily will work with you to create a plan for maintaining your progress. This might include identifying warning signs that you might need support again, creating a "relapse prevention" plan, and reminding you that it's completely normal and welcome to return to therapy in the future if new challenges arise or you want a "tune-up."
Many clients do come back periodically over the years, perhaps during a major life transition, a particularly stressful time, or when old patterns start to re-emerge. Returning to therapy is not a failure; it's a sign of self-awareness and a commitment to your well-being.
After you schedule your first session, you'll receive an email with forms to complete before you arrive. These typically include informed consent, privacy policies, a brief intake questionnaire, and information about fees and cancellation policies. Completing these ahead of time allows you to use your first session for conversation rather than paperwork. If you prefer to complete them in person, that can usually be arranged as well.
Most clients start with weekly sessions, especially during the initial phase of therapy. Weekly sessions allow for continuity, momentum, and a strong therapeutic relationship to develop. As you make progress and feel more stable, you might transition to bi-weekly or monthly sessions. The frequency is flexible and determined collaboratively based on your needs, goals, and preferences.
The duration of therapy varies widely depending on your goals, the complexity of your concerns, and your personal preferences. Some people benefit from short-term therapy (8-12 sessions) focused on a specific issue or skill-building. Others engage in longer-term therapy (several months to a year or more) to work on deeper patterns, process trauma, or navigate ongoing challenges. Emily will work with you to develop a treatment plan with a general timeframe, but this is always flexible and can be adjusted as you go.
This is common, especially early on. Emily will guide the conversation with questions and prompts, so you don't need to have a plan or agenda. If you ever feel stuck or unsure what to say, just voice that, sometimes exploring the feeling of being stuck can lead to important insights. Over time, as you become more comfortable, you'll likely find it easier to know what to bring to sessions.
Therapy is a very personal process, and fit matters. If previous therapy didn't work, it might have been an issue of fit (wrong therapist, wrong approach, wrong timing) rather than a sign that therapy can't help you. Emily encourages open discussion about past experiences, what worked, what didn't, and what you're hoping will be different this time. This helps her tailor the approach to your needs and avoid repeating what didn't work before.
Yes, with a few important exceptions. Everything you share in therapy is confidential and protected by law. Emily will not share information about your treatment with anyone without your written consent. The main exceptions to confidentiality are: (1) if you express intent to harm yourself or someone else, (2) if there is suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elderly person, or dependent adult, or (3) if a court orders the release of records. Emily will explain confidentiality in detail during your first session.
Yes, in many cases. If you're working on relationship issues or if involving a partner or family member would be helpful to your progress, Emily can accommodate that. This might involve occasional joint sessions or ongoing couples/family therapy. You'll discuss and plan this collaboratively.
Life happens, and sometimes you need to cancel or reschedule. SafeTherapy asks that you provide at least 24 hours' notice. This allows Emily to offer that time slot to another client who might need it. If you cancel with less than 24 hours' notice or don't show up, you may be charged the full session fee (unless there are extenuating circumstances like a medical emergency). Emily understands that unexpected things come up, so communication is key.
SafeTherapy is not an emergency or crisis service. If you're experiencing a mental health emergency (thoughts of suicide, immediate danger to yourself or others), please call emergency services (911 in the US) or go to your nearest emergency room. You can also contact a crisis hotline such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) for immediate support. For less urgent concerns that arise between sessions, you can reach out to Emily via email or phone to discuss whether an earlier session can be scheduled.
Starting therapy is a courageous step. If you have more questions or are ready to schedule your free consultation, we're here to help.