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You do not need a neat explanation before seeking psychological support. Here is what a first conversation can include and which questions are worth asking.

Many people put off seeking psychological support because they feel they should first have their story neatly organised. You do not. A first session can start with whatever feels most pressing: what has become hard lately, how long it has been building and what you would like to feel or do differently.

Who you will be speaking with

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, also holds qualifications in psychotherapy and offers talking therapy at the Lane Cove clinic. Her interest in the whole person means she may ask how stress is showing up in your body, your sleep or your appetite, alongside thoughts and feelings. You choose how much to share and when.

Threads that often come up

• Sleep patterns and energy across the day
• Relationships at home, at work and with friends
• Work pressure or changes in routine
• Counselling, medication or other support you have had before

None of these is a test. Together they simply give you and Christine a starting map.

Questions you are entitled to ask

It is reasonable to ask how goals will be set, how you will both look back on progress and what confidentiality means in day-to-day practice, including its limits. There is no standard number of sessions that applies to everybody, and the name of a therapy model does not, on its own, tell you whether the relationship will feel right.

Keeping the direction yours

Good psychological care leaves space for your priorities. You might want to understand a recurring reaction, explore something that feels stuck or work out how you would notice things shifting. You can also ask Christine when you will both step back to look at how the work is going, and what other support exists if life shifts between sessions. If she feels a different service, or your GP, would suit your needs better, she will talk that through with you openly.