When I start with a new therapist I don't just jump into the nitty gritty. I know from experience one sure way that got my past therapists uneasy was the times I walked in their door sat down and they intorduced their self and I did the same Hi Im so and so I have nightmares flashbacks, past problems with anerexia, self injury, and suicide... At this point the therapist is looking at me with this confused look that says oh shoit what did I get myself into with this nut because in my nerviosness I am probably leaving out words and getting tongue tied and so on and I end up going back to the beginning and telling the therapist one item at a time so that they can understand me.

So now what I usually do is sit down throughout the days preceeding the appointment and writing down Why I need to be in therapy, what my problems are, what my goals are surrounding those problems and 4-5 give or take ideas of how to accomplish those goals during therapy. I also write down things that are typically asked during the first few sessions - name address phone number, Medical insurance card number, address and phone number so that I have all the info that I need when I am sitting there in the reception area and the receptionist hands me that clipboard with papers to fillin and sign (including the agencys privacy confidentiality protocal). I also write down any questions that I want answers to BEFORE I go into detail about things such as the agency's protocal for self injury and suicidal behavior, the therapists background of working with PTSD, Depression, Sexual abuse, The agency and therapist protocals on after hours phone calls and the number to call for after hours because I don't like getting into the thick of things and be having new memories and so on going on and not have the information that I need.

Then when I go to my intake appointment I take those papers and information with me. Worse case scenerio I get tongue tied all I have to do is hand over the papers and let the therapist read it for theirself, and make copy if needed.

Once I start seeing a therapist I make sure I get to my appointments 15 minutes to a half hour early so that I can watch the comings and goings of the therapists that work in that same agency that my therapist does and also so that I can see how my therapist interacts with the co workers and clients in general as they are coming out of sessions.

This way one -

I can get a feel for what and how my therapist is like without either one of us (the therapist or me) being on the hot seat of the "first sessions"

And two -
I always choose a back up therapist. I hate being in the thick things and not knowing who is answering calls and how that person is going to react to my calls and so on when I need a therapist and my therapist is unavailable (vacations, deaths in their familys, out of town attending workshops and seminars and so on).

By picking a backup Im not left hanging for two weeks and so on. and the back up is kept informed just in case I happen to need them whem my therapist is unavailable. No matter what the situation going on with my main therapist I don't have to worry be it tonight tomorrow or next month, when ever and for whatever I need I know that I can call the agency and say - "Hi Im so and so and I need to speak to LL and if she is not available my back up is EW." or "Hi Im so and so LL is my therapist she is out of town this week I need to speak to EW" Either way I know that my calls will be put through and the person I will be talking to are the two people who know what has been going on for the past 5 years in therapy and so on.

hang in there