What can I expect from my first session of therapy?

This will vary depending upon the therapist and the nature of the issues that you want to work on. Some things you can always count on: having to sign consent for treatment forms and some other paperwork. The first session can vary a great deal. Some people use it to interview the therapist to get a feel for his/her abilities and personality. Others use it to start talking about what brought them to therapy to see how the therapist responds. Whatever happens, you should make sure that the first and every session is one that works for you.

How soon can I expect to get better?

This depends upon two factors: the severity of the problems or issues you bring to therapy and the focus and determination you have to spend on getting to a deeper resolution. Since some issues have taken a lifetime to develop, it might take some time, even years to resolve the outstanding issues. This is one of the reasons why it’s better to seek out therapy sooner rather than later.