What to Expect From Your First Counselling Session

The decision to book a counselling session is often the hardest part of the whole journey. By the time you get to the session itself, you have already done the bravest thing.

I know that, and I work hard to make sure the first session reflects it.



This is a short guide to what actually happens when you come to see me for the first time, written so you can arrive feeling a little less unsure and a lot more prepared.

Before the session

Most people who come to me start with a free 15-minute breakthrough call. This is not a session and there is no pressure to commit to anything. It is a short conversation where you can tell me what is going on, ask any questions about how I work, and find out whether we feel like the right fit.

You can book that call directly through my website, by phone on 07773 385 165, or by email. Whichever feels easier.



If we decide to go ahead, your first proper session is booked in. Sessions are 55 minutes long and can be either in person at my practice in Leamington Spa, or online via Google Meet or Zoom.

When you arrive

If you are coming in person, the practice is a quiet, comfortable space in Radford Semele. Easy parking, no waiting rooms full of strangers, no clipboards.

If you are joining online, you will be sent a meeting link the day before. You can join from anywhere you feel safe and undisturbed.

Either way, the first thing I want you to know is this: you do not need to have worked out what to say. Most people arrive at their first session feeling some version of "I don't know where to start."

That is a perfectly good place to start.

What we talk about

There is no script. The first session is a conversation, not an assessment.

We will probably talk about:

• What has brought you to counselling now, in your own words and at your own pace
• A little about your background, only what feels relevant
• What you are hoping might shift, even if you are not yet sure what that looks like
• Practical questions: how often you might want to meet, how the work is structured, anything that helps you feel informed



You will not be diagnosed, judged, or pushed. Counselling is not about being told what to do. It is about being heard properly, often for the first time, and then exploring what you find when that happens.

What you might feel afterwards

People often tell me they feel lighter after their first session, but they also sometimes feel tired or surprised at what came up. That is completely normal. Talking honestly takes energy, especially when you have been carrying things alone.

I always encourage clients to give themselves a quiet hour afterwards if they can. A walk, a cup of tea, no immediate demands. The conversation often keeps working in the background long after the session ends.

How I work

My approach is integrative and person-centred, which is therapy language for: I do not have one fixed method I apply to everyone. I draw on what I have learned over the years and shape it around the person in front of me.

I am also influenced by philosophical and spiritual thinking, which simply means I am comfortable sitting with the deeper questions of meaning and purpose that often sit underneath day-to-day struggles. This does not mean religious, and it does not mean we will avoid the practical. It just means I have space for both.

About me

I am Tony Novissimo, a BACP-accredited counsellor and psychotherapist with over 20 years of professional experience. I have also been studying philosophy for the last 50 years, which informs the depth of perspective I bring to the work.

I work with adults and couples, in person in Leamington Spa and online across the UK and internationally. I support people with a wide range of challenges including anxiety, depression, bereavement, trauma, relationship difficulties, autism, eating disorders, and OCD. I also work with adolescents.

I have no waiting list. If we agree to work together, we can usually begin straight away.

Ready to take the next step?

If anything in this piece has resonated with you, the easiest first step is the free 15-minute breakthrough call. No commitment, no expectation, just a quiet conversation to see whether this might be the right kind of support for you.

Book your free breakthrough call

Or call me directly on 07773 385 165.

You do not have to figure it out before reaching out. That is what the session is for. Looking forward to meeting and talking things through with you.