What to expect when you Press Pause

Starting Counselling

Beginning counselling is a courageous and meaningful step. Whether you’re seeking clarity, support, or healing, you’ve taken an important action toward caring for your emotional well-being. Counselling can be a powerful and rewarding experience—but it’s also natural for it to feel emotionally intense at times, especially in the beginning.

Building Trust and Setting Intentions

In your first few sessions, we’ll focus on building a trusting, collaborative relationship. This connection is the foundation of our work together. During these early conversations, we’ll explore what’s brought you in, talk about your hopes for therapy, and begin identifying the areas you’d like to focus on. There’s no pressure to share everything right away—we’ll go at a pace that feels comfortable and respectful of your needs.

You Are in Control

It’s important to know that you never have to talk about anything you don’t feel ready or comfortable to discuss. You are in control of what you share, and your boundaries will always be respected. If something feels too difficult to talk about, that’s okay—we can pause, shift focus, or come back to it another time if and when you feel more prepared. This is your space, and it’s here to support you, not to overwhelm you.

Emotional Intensity is Normal

As you begin to open up, it’s not uncommon for deep or unexpected emotions to surface. This is a normal and often important part of the therapeutic process. You might find yourself reflecting on difficult experiences, patterns, or feelings that have been sitting just below the surface. While this can feel confronting at times, it’s also where change and insight begin to emerge.

After Your Sessions: Create Space to Reflect

To support your emotional processing, it’s a good idea to give yourself some time and space after each session. This might mean taking a quiet walk, journaling, sitting with a cup of tea, or simply giving yourself a moment of stillness. Creating this room to decompress can help you absorb what came up during our time together and gently integrate it into your daily life.

Support Beyond the Session

Counselling isn’t just about what happens in the room—it’s also about how you care for yourself between sessions. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you navigate this process. And remember: if anything feels unclear or overwhelming, we’ll always make space to talk about it.