Could you tell me what to expect on the first appt with a psychologist?

Psychologist: You can expect the psychologist to take a detailed history of your life. Your medical health, your family, siblings and their mental and physical histories as well as your own. Make sure you feel that this person is compassionate and caring as it will much easier to confide in a clinician you perceive as invested in you. Best.

45-50 minutes : A typical psychology intake lasts an hour and a half. Basic identifying information is gathered, such as current emotional issues, a basic history, any physical ailments it may be impeding on psychological functioning and medications that are currently being taken. Follow-up sessions after the intake typically run 45 to 50 minutes.

Ready, Set, Action: I tell my patients that in a 1st appointment my goal is to learn as much about them as I can. I add that I try to make a movie of their lives in my head. So while I will ask questions to clarify things & to tie bits of information together, I do like to let my patients share information in any way that makes sense to them. I may be the one filming the movie but they are the ones directing it!