If you have not had contact with a psychologist, perhaps not knowing what to expect from the first appointment can make you feel some anxiety. As in many other areas, mental health professionals use questions that allow free responses from patients, and that will serve as a guide in the preparation and development of treatment.
Below you will find some of the most commonly used questions for this purpose, in the first meetings:
- What brings you here? It sounds like you know yourself pretty well and have thought a lot about what you’d like to talk about here. If you don’t mind, I’ll ask you some questions and take notes on what you say so I can keep it fresh in my memory. Oh, and feel free to interrupt me at any time or direct the conversation wherever you need. In your mind, what brings you here today?
- Have you ever seen a psychologist? You seem pretty comfortable and confident coming here and talking about the challenges in your life. Have you ever seen a psychologist? If so, how many meetings did you attend and for what topics? Did you achieve the results you were looking for and were they satisfactory? What thing that your previous psychologist told you do you remember most? What went well or what didn’t turn out as you would have liked?
- What is the problem from your point of view? “Everyone has a different perspective on what the problem is and who or what the solution is. The goal of counseling is to create positive changes as quickly as possible without feeling rushed. How do you see the problem or how do you define it? What difficult people in your life are causing you problems? How do you get along with people at work? How would you describe your personality? What are three of your greatest achievements in life? Who or what is most important to you in your life? What is the problem from your point of view?”
- How does this problem make you feel? “We all have problems or challenges that we must face. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? How do you feel when a problem arises unexpectedly? Although feelings are not right or wrong, good or bad, every problem has a way of making us feel. So how does this problem make you feel?
- What improves the problem? “How often do you experience the problem? What do you think makes the problem worse? Have you ever not had the problem or noticed that the problem disappeared completely? Have you tried certain tools, read books, or looked for ways in the past that have worked well to solve the problem? How does the problem affect your self-esteem or your feeling of guilt?”
- If you could wave a magic wand, what positive changes would you make in your life? Setting goals creates focus. Do you regularly set positive goals for your work, love, and play life? What is your attitude about change? What are your goals for positive change? How would you like to improve your life to be more satisfied and happy? If we can find ways to improve the problem, perhaps we can find ways to reduce or even eliminate it.
- In general, how would you describe your mood? “Moods come and go like the weather. Some of us are more moody than others or pick up on another person’s mood like a cold. There are those who are quite strong in the face of emotional events. In your case, what makes you feel anxious? Is your mood like a roller coaster, or is it fairly stable? What depresses you or makes you feel sad? What guarantees that you feel good? How do you get out of a bad mood? Do you use drugs, alcohol, sex, money or other “strategies” to feel better? What do people in your close circle tell you about your mood?
- What do you expect from the counseling process? “Everyone who comes here expects something different. I consider you paying me to help you achieve your positive goals as quickly as possible. Some people like to be given homework, others like to vent and make you listen, and others want a high level of interaction. How do you think you learn best? Do you think of me as your communications and relationship coach? What do you expect from the treatment process? How many meetings do you think it will take to achieve your goals? How could you undermine the achievement of your own goals? Do you blame someone for your problem? Do you use good advice to grow? How will you know when we’re done?
- What would it take to make you feel more content, happier, and more satisfied? “On a scale of 0-10, how happy are you with your life? What keeps happening repeatedly that frustrates you? What do people still do that you don’t like and what do you want them to change? How do you typically handle irritations, aggravations and frustrations? You get angry easily? How does your anger come out? What baggage or resentments do you carry from the past? What offenses have they done to you that you have not forgiven? What changes could someone make that would really make you happy? What has been a big disappointment in life? Do you feel angry when you don’t get your way or lose control? Who irritates you and why?
- Do you consider yourself to have a low, average or high interpersonal IQ? “Would you rate your communication skills as negative, neutral or positive? How well do you get along with your life partner? Do you love your life partner? What positive relationship rules do you follow? How would you describe your relationship with your children or grandchildren? Do you get along with your siblings? How would you describe your relationship with your parents? What family conflicts have you been involved in recently? What relationship have you been in that you considered a failure? Who do you turn to when your heart hurts for help? Have you invested time and money into improving your communication skills lately? What is your greatest vulnerability in relationships?
Knowing the honest answers to these questions can guide you through the treatment process.
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