Your Guide to Anxiety Therapy and Counseling in Cincinnati: 5 FAQs Answered

You’ve been thinking about seeing a mental health therapist in Cincinnati, but have no idea what to expect. Maybe you’ve found someone and made an appointment, and now your head is swirling with questions. This is normal! And even if this isn’t your first rodeo with counseling, it’s important to have an idea of what to expect when you start therapy so you can get the most out of the experience.

Making the decision to start therapy is hard! But it’s also really good, because it means you’re aware that you need help and you’ve taken a really big step in changing your life. Whether you’re dealing with overwhelming stress, anxiety, depression, or relationships, counseling can help you gain clarity and make changes you haven’t been able to do so far on your own. It takes a LOT of courage to tell a stranger how much you’re struggling. And in that vulnerability is the power for change.  

Every therapist is different, and you may need to meet a few before you find a good fit. I’d like to help you by answering some questions I commonly hear from new clients so you can prepare to have a positive experience.

1. What Happens in Therapy Sessions?

This is a great question! You might be thinking you’ll be laying on the couch, telling your life story, while a therapist sits with their notepad silently judging you. While I can’t guarantee it, I have yet to meet a therapist who works that way. Therapy is work, even if it’s “just talking.” Often the therapist will be asking questions, giving feedback, and helping you work through an issue. It’s very much a collaboration.

2. What Can I Expect During the First Session?

What you can expect is a friendly face greeting you, welcoming you to their office. They should have a comfy chair or couch for you to sit down across from them. Or, if you’re online then you’ll log in wherever you’re comfortable in a private space (the therapist will be in a private office as well).

The first session will be an information-gathering appointment. This is so the therapist can get all of the important information in order to help you the best they can. While some therapists will do a formal diagnostic evaluation, many of us simply have a conversation about what has brought you to therapy, and what you hope to get out of it. It’s okay if you don’t really know! We are great diggers and can ask a ton of questions to get to the heart of the problem.

3. What Happens After the First Session?

After defining the problem, you’ll start working on goals for therapy, deciding what you want to accomplish before therapy is over. From there, each session will be focused on moving you toward those goals. Yes there is venting, yes there is some “How does that make you feel?” but the best part of therapy is the “a-ha” moments, the release of emotion, the changes you make in your daily decisions that lead you to different outcomes.  

You might use worksheets in session or for homework. You may do breathing exercises or meditation in session. You may practice new skills in session to manage emotions or improve communication. Your therapist may specialize in a certain type of therapy, which will guide what you do (CBT, DBT, EMDR, etc). Generally, each session builds on the last.

4. How Long Will I Need Therapy?

This is a question you should talk about in your very first session! Everyone is different, and there isn’t a standard timeframe. Different techniques may have a timeline, like a course of CBT can be done in 8-12 weeks. However, you may find that when you get relief from the first issue, you want to address another problem. Or you uncover something else that you need to work through. But this is something you should be talking about with your therapist, so you know where you’re going and what the goal is.

Generally I see people regularly for 2-3 months, and then transition to a “maintenance” plan or “as needed” appointments. It’s kind of like seeing a personal trainer – you may go weekly until you’re in great shape and have a routine established, then taper off and do “check-ins” to keep yourself on track (or get back on track if needed). Some people see a personal trainer regularly for years because they know they won’t work out on their own. Same goes for therapy. It doesn’t mean they’re broken or it’s not working necessarily, but some people really benefit from regular support.

One thing I love about being in practice for over a decade now is that I see returning clients at different points in their lives. So we may have wrapped up while they were stressed in college, but then new motherhood has brought them back to therapy. It’s so great to build off of previous progress and be able to reflect all the growth over time!

5. Can I Attend Therapy Only When I'm Struggling?

You could, and that can help in the moment. But if you think about what’s bringing you to therapy, it’s usually something that has been consistent or has come up repeatedly over time. Then when the dust settles, you go back to normal and feel better. But if that thing keeps happening, then working consistently (just like getting into shape physically) will help you actually change so that you feel better over the long run.

If you’ve been dealing with anxiety your whole life, one session is not going to fix it. You may learn all the tools there are to learn (even by yourself online), but committing to regular therapy is what gets you great outcomes. It’s the accountability, the implementation, the honest and empathic feedback from someone who is outside of your life looking in. Those things can’t be found online, in a book, or with friends or family.

I hope this has helped you to know what to expect from counseling. If you’re still feeling stuck, I cover a few more FAQs about anxiety therapy in Cincinnati here. '

If you still have questions, I’d be happy to help answer them! Call me at 513-461-2045 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation. I can help direct you to the right person who can help, even if you’re outside of my area. If you’re looking for online anxiety counseling in Cincinnati, or anywhere in Ohio or Indiana, you can read more about how I help here.