Getting started

Beginning therapy: a first conversation

What the initial call is for, what you can ask, and how the next step is decided together.

Vincent Handon

Vincent Handon, MPS/LP

2 min read

Reaching out can begin with a simple note about what brings you here. You do not need a polished explanation or a complete account of your life. The initial conversation is a chance to say a little about what you are hoping for, ask questions, and get a sense of whether working together feels possible.

A conversation before a commitment

The practice begins with a free 15–20 minute call. There is room to talk about what has prompted you to consider therapy and what you would like to be different. It is also a time to ask how sessions work and to discuss the practical details that matter to you.

Start with what feels important

You might arrive with a specific question, a familiar difficulty, or a sense that something needs attention even if you cannot yet name it. Start wherever makes sense to you. A first call does not have to resolve every question; it can simply help make the next step clearer.

Questions you can bring

You are welcome to ask about the approach, session length, fees, and the available in-person or telehealth arrangements. You can also ask what an early session might involve. If there is something about beginning therapy that feels uncertain, that can be part of the conversation too.

Deciding what comes next

If you decide to continue, the first session gives more room to begin mapping your story and the questions that keep returning. An initial focus is set together, and the work develops from there. The aim of the introductory call is to help you decide whether this is a place where you would like to begin.

Vincent Handon, MPS/LP

Licensed Psychoanalyst in New York, trained at The National Institute for the Psychotherapies.

Let’s get to the root of it.

We’ll talk about what brings you in, what you hope will change, and whether working together makes sense.

Vincent’s Manhattan therapy office

Let’s get to the root of it.

We’ll talk about what brings you in, what you hope will change, and whether working together makes sense.

Vincent’s Manhattan therapy office

Let’s get to the root of it.

We’ll talk about what brings you in, what you hope will change, and whether working together makes sense.

Vincent’s Manhattan therapy office