The Courage to Begin: What to Expect When Starting Therapy

Considering therapy? Learn what to expect and how the process at Threshold Therapy and Coaching helps you build awareness, heal from within, and reconnect with your authentic self."

Considering therapy can stir up a range of emotions — curiosity, hesitation, hope, or even fear. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve worked with a therapist before, the idea of opening up to someone new can feel vulnerable. That’s completely normal.

Here’s something you might not expect: many therapists have been in therapy themselves. Whatever thoughts or emotions you’re experiencing as you consider this step — uncertainty, nervousness, or even skepticism — are likely ones your therapist has felt, too. Therapy is, at its core, a shared human experience rooted in compassion, courage, and growth.

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Common Thoughts Before Beginning

It’s natural to have questions or doubts before your first session:

• “It’s probably going to be awkward.”

• “What if my therapist thinks something is really wrong with me?”

• “What if I don’t know what to say?”

The truth is, there’s nothing wrong with you and you won’t be expected to come into therapy perfectly calm and collected. Although you may feel broken or are hurting, it’s important to remember you are human — navigating challenges, emotions, and experiences that shape who you are. Therapy isn’t about finding what’s wrong with you; it’s about helping you reconnect with your strengths, clarify your values, and rediscover your sense of balance and purpose.

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What to Expect in Therapy

At Threshold Therapy and Coaching, my role is to create a safe, grounded space for exploration and healing. I approach therapy as a collaborative process — one where we work together to understand your experiences, uncover patterns, and create a path toward the change you’re seeking.

 Sigmund Freud once said, “Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.”

Vulnerability often feels uncomfortable, but it is also the gateway to connection, self-discovery, and lasting transformation. Therapy offers the opportunity to slow down, turn inward, and begin to understand yourself in new and meaningful ways.

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Why Therapy Matters

When we don’t have a safe space to process emotions or experiences, our inner dialogue can become critical and distorted. We may find ourselves replaying worries, anticipating worst-case scenarios, or feeling paralyzed by uncertainty.

Therapy provides an alternative — a place to be seen, understood, and supported without judgment. It allows you to express what has been unspoken, to challenge limiting beliefs, and to begin cultivating greater self-compassion and resilience.

At Threshold Therapy and Coaching, I often integrate therapeutic approaches such as EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), mindfulness, and experiential techniques to help clients not only process the past but also move forward with clarity and confidence.

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Taking the First Step

If you’ve been thinking about therapy but feel unsure, know that you don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. The most important step is simply showing up.

Therapy is not about “fixing” you — it’s about helping you return to your authentic self. Together, we can explore the patterns, experiences, and beliefs that may be holding you back and begin building a life that reflects your values and goals.

You deserve a space to grow, heal, and reconnect — a threshold between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.

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Written by Karin Miller, LCSW

Threshold Therapy and Coaching, PLLC

"Empowering individuals in midlife to heal, grow, and reconnect with their authentic selves."