What to Expect From Your Free 30-Minute Introductory Session
- Ayelet Krieger
- Jan 26
- 4 min read
Reaching out for therapy can feel tender or even a little daunting. If you’re considering booking a free 30-minute introductory session, know that many people come in feeling unsure about what to say or how to prepare. You’re not alone in that.
First and foremost, this meeting is a conversation. My intention is for it to feel natural, human, and grounded—not like an interview. At the same time, I do offer a gentle structure so we both make good use of the time.
The Structure of the Session
The session is divided into two parts:
The first 15 minutes are for you
The second 15 minutes are for me
In the first half, I’ll invite you to share anything you feel would be helpful for me to know about you and what’s bringing you to therapy right now. There’s no expectation that you have clarity, answers, or a polished narrative.
You definitely don’t need to tell your whole story. We are just picking up with where I am finding you right now in your life. I trust that the details of your history will naturally unfold over time if we engage in work together.
For this meeting, we’re simply getting a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit.
That being said, some folks like to organize their thoughts beforehand. So only if it feels useful to you, here are a few prompts you might consider:
What You Might Share
1. Your experience with personal growth or therapy (if any). This could include therapy, counseling, coaching, somatic work, medicine work, or other healing modalities. What has been helpful for you in the past? What hasn’t? Knowing this helps me build on what’s worked and avoid approaches that haven’t felt supportive.
2. What you’re hoping for.If therapy were helpful, how might your life look or feel different? This doesn’t have to be lofty or fully formed. It might be something simple and concrete—sleeping through the night, feeling less anxious in relationships, having clearer boundaries, feeling more alive, or navigating a difficult transition with more support.
3. What helps you feel safe and open with a therapist.Based on your past experiences with supportive friends, family members, or therapists, do you have a sense of what kind of relational style works best for you? Some people want gentle reflection, others appreciate direct feedback, and many want a mix. This is also how we begin to assess together whether I’m a good fit for your needs.
4. Anything else that feels important to name.This could be context about your life, identity, circumstances, or concerns that you think would matter in deciding whether my practice is a good match for you.
Again, none of this is required. These are simply invitations, not expectations.
My Role in the Second Half
In the second 15 minutes, I’ll share about how I work, what therapy with me tends to look like, and start to actively engage in building a treatment plan for you, based on the goals I heard you express.
I will explain how therapy tools will be applied to help you build the areas of your life you want to see change, as soon as the first session. I’ll also reflect back what I’m hearing and let you know honestly whether I believe my skills align with what you’re looking for.
I’ll make space for any questions you have—about my approach, logistics, pacing, boundaries, or anything else that feels important to ask.
The Intention of This Meeting
The goal of the introductory session is to sense into fit—on both sides. Therapy works best when there’s a foundation of safety, trust, and resonance, and this conversation is a first step in exploring that. It is also an opportunity to put shape and language to your goals for your life, and for me to help you identify the next steps to concretely making the changes you want to see.
My hope is that you leave this meeting feeling:
Excited about the real possibility of creating the life you want for yourself
Understand some concrete next steps you can take to move in that direction
Feel heard, understood, and championed
Have a sense of whether I am the right therapist to help you meet your goals for healing and wellbeing
If you decide to move forward, we’ll schedule a first appointment. I recommend clients take sessions one at a time. It can take a few sessions to figure out if a therapist is the right fit for you. I want you to feel empowered, and in the driver’s seat of your healing journey–every step of the way.
And if we decide this is not the right fit, that’s completely okay too. And hopefully, you are leaving with more clarity about what you are looking for.
Either way, my hope is that you leave the conversation feeling a bit more grounded and informed about what you need next., my hope is that you leave the conversation feeling a bit more grounded and informed about what you need next.