For anyone in later life preparing for a first appointment with a psychologist, or thinking it over before booking one. You do not need a tidy story, a diagnosis or the right words. Questions are welcome too, including whether therapy is for someone your age.
Writing a few notes beforehand can take some of the load off remembering on the day. It also gives you and your psychologist a starting point. You do not have to share what you have written: it is yours.
For use alongside therapy, not as a substitute. These prompts are for organising your own thoughts before a first appointment. Tools, scales and self-tests are not needed beforehand: those are used together with a clinician.
What is inside
Page 1, read first.What tends to be useful to bring, what you do not need, a sample opening sentence, a note about the Meet and Greet, and the five areas page 2 covers:
What brought me here
The shape of it, and why now
What I would want different
A direction, not a goal
What has and has not helped
What you have already learned
What sits alongside
The context this is sitting inside
What I want to ask
Including any question about your age
Page 2.Five prompt boxes, each with a guiding question: what brought me here, what I would want different, what has and has not helped, what sits alongside, and what I want to ask.
Page 1 · Read firstPage 2 · To fill in
How to use it
1Use what helpsUse any prompt that is useful and leave the rest blank. The order does not matter, and a few honest sentences in each box is plenty.
2Write in your own wordsClinical terms and a chronological account are not needed. What is going on, in your own words, is clearer.
3Bring it if it helpsWhen you have something written, bring it to the appointment, or leave it at home. You do not have to share it.
Arriving with what you have is enough. If you would like to talk before booking, the Meet and Greet is a short call to see whether we are the right fit, with no obligation to continue. You can type into the PDF on a computer, or print it and write by hand.
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References
Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Eckshtain, D., Ng, M. Y., Corteselli, K. A., Noma, H., Quero, S., & Weisz, J. R. (2020). Psychotherapy for depression across different age groups: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(7), 694-702.
General information only. This worksheet is general psychoeducation, not a clinical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Reading it does not establish a treating relationship. If you would like personalised support, please book a Meet and Greet or speak with your GP. If you are in immediate danger, call 000, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
