So, you get to meet Meggy…
Meeting with a psychologist for the first time ever or booking a time to start working with a psychologist you have never met before can be a bit daunting.
- What to expect?
- Who is she?
- What is she like?
- What is she going to ask for?
- What if I don’t want to tell her about a few things now?…
These may be some of the questions crossing your mind before meeting with me.
First, good on you for making your mental health a priority. Recognising and accepting that we need help and could potentially benefit from some support is not always easy.
Maybe you are thinking that you don’t really want to talk to anyone about your difficulties and your parents, school, friends…are the one asking for you to get some help even if you are far from being convinced. Thant’s okay, we can talk about that. I am not here to judge you in any way, I am here to offer support, guidance and treatment.
I have met with many children, teenagers and families over the past 20 years and something I often talk about with people is ‘’Why pretend that you are doing great if you are struggling?’’, ‘’Why be on your own?’’… It is the same as you going to a specialist for your teeth, braces, skin, sport injuries and other health issues/needs, why not seeing a psychologist when life is getting too complicated, and your mental health and wellbeing are declining?
Your First Appointment…
When you come to your first appointment with me, the first thing I want is for you to feel comfortable. There is no rush. You do not have to talk to me about things you don’t want to, we can take our time, learn to know each other. This is actually a very important part of therapy as research shows that a good relationship with your therapist, also known as a therapeutic alliance, is of paramount importance for the therapeutic outcome.
While I will explain a few things to you during the first appointment such as who I am, where I am from, the number of sessions available on your Mental Health Care Plan (if you do have one), the length of the session (50 minutes), what is confidentiality, what could be the reasons for me to breach confidentiality, what does consent means…, I am also very happy for you to ask me any questions you may have.
You will also see me take notes during the consultations. These notes will enable me to review and reflect on what was said, to make sure I have a good understanding of what you are going through and how you are feeling; in order to then consider the best way forward. It will usually take a few appointments for us to know each other a bit better and for me to be able to have a clearer idea on the direction to take and how to best support you.
If you believe I might be the right person for you, please book online or get on contact with our clinic…
Author: Meggy Delaunay, PG Dip Psych Practice, PG Dip Dev Psych, M Genetic Psych, B Psych, MAPS.
Meggy Delaunay is a psychologist who primarily works with children, adolescents and young adults. She is a registered Psychologist in Australia, New Zealand and France, and can provide therapy sessions in English and French.
To make an appointment try Online Booking. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422.