What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session After Difficult Medical Experiences (Counselling in Athlone & Online)

Starting counselling for the first time can feel daunting. Many people wonder what it will be like to sit across from someone new, especially if difficult or challenging medical experiences have left them feeling rushed, dismissed, or unheard.

A first therapy session isn’t about telling your whole life story in one go. It’s about gently testing what it feels like to sit in a space that’s steady, compassionate, and validating.

What the First Therapy Session Might Feel Like

In medical settings, you might be used to:

• Repeating your story again and again.

• Feeling like time is running out before you’ve finished.

• Being told “you’ll be fine” when you know you’re not.

• Having symptoms questioned or dismissed.

Therapy feels different. The focus is on you as a person — not on charts, scans, or reports. A therapist listens for understanding, not for a diagnosis. They aren’t rushing to the next patient. They are right there with you.

After Difficult Medical Experiences

If you’ve lived through illness, surgery, diagnosis, or medical uncertainty, the first counselling session can be the very first time you’re truly heard.

You might feel nervous. You might not know where to begin. That’s okay. A good therapist will let you start where you need to, will notice the pauses, and will help you slow down if it feels overwhelming.

For many people, this moment — being listened to without interruption or minimisation — brings a sense of relief. Therapy doesn’t erase what happened, but it offers a place to process it, piece by piece, with someone who doesn’t hurry you along.

Online and In-Person Counselling

If you’re not based in Athlone, online counselling offers the same warmth and steadiness, with the flexibility of joining from your own home. Clients often say this helps them feel safer and more comfortable, especially after difficult medical experiences.

Whether you begin in person in Athlone or online across Ireland, the first therapy session is less about “fixing” and more about creating safety and trust.

Taking the First Step

If difficult medical experiences have left a lasting mark on your wellbeing, a validating and steady therapeutic space can feel like the first breath after years of holding it in.

You don’t need to have the perfect words. You don’t need to start at the “beginning.” You only need to arrive.

💙 I’m Emma Tynan, a psychotherapist specialising in medical trauma and chronic illness. I offer counselling face-to-face in Athlone and online across Ireland.