Getting Started with Therapy:
What to Expect

Beginning therapy can bring up a lot of questions.

You may know that something needs to change but feel unsure where to begin. You may wonder what you'll be asked, how much you'll need to share, or whether holistic integrative psychotherapy is the right kind of support for you.

You don't have to have everything figured out before reaching out.

This page to getting started with therapy walks you through the process at Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc, from your initial consultation through the first appointment and early sessions, so you can decide whether working together feels right.

Getting Started with Therapy Begins With a No-Charge Consultation

The first step is a brief, no-charge consultation.

You can send a message through the Contact page. If you send a message, please share enough for me to understand the general nature of your inquiry, but hold off on highly sensitive medical or personal information.

During the consultation, we can briefly discuss what's bringing you to therapy, the kind of support you're looking for, whether you prefer in-person or online care, scheduling, fees, insurance, and any initial questions you have.

This isn't psychotherapy, a clinical intake, or a complete assessment. It's simply a chance for us both to consider whether it makes sense to continue. Scheduling a consultation doesn't obligate you to become a client.

Deciding Whether We're a Good Fit

Getting started with therapy involves more than choosing someone who offers the services you want. The relationship matters, but fit also includes whether a therapist’s experience, scope of practice, availability, and approach are appropriate for your needs.

During our consultation, I'll listen to what you're looking for and answer your questions about how I work. We'll also consider your location, scheduling needs, finances, and whether outpatient care through my practice is an appropriate level of support.

If working together looks like a reasonable fit, I'll explain what happens next. If another therapist, specialist, service, or level of care seems more appropriate, I'll let you know.
And if we're not the right fit, knowing that early matters too.

You can learn more about my clinical services and practice boundaries on the Scope of Practice & Policies page, and more about my background and approach on About Lucrezia.

You can also visit Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for answers to common questions about beginning care and working with the practice.

Explore This Topic in More Depth

If you would like more information before deciding whether to proceed, these pages explain practical aspects of beginning care:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Find answers to common questions about services, appointments, privacy, and beginning care.
• Fees & Insurance: Review fees, insurance participation, payment options, and out-of-network support.
• Good Faith Estimate: Learn about your right to receive an estimate of expected charges when you are not using insurance or submitting a claim.
• Social Media Policy: Understand how online interactions, privacy, and professional boundaries are handled.
• Scope of Practice and Policies: Review the services I provide, the boundaries of my practice, and policies that clarify what to expect when seeking care.

Before Your First Appointment

If we decide to proceed, I'll invite you into TherapyNotes, the secure client system used by Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc.

Through TherapyNotes, you'll complete the information and forms that apply to your care, including contact information, relevant history, consent for treatment, privacy information, financial policies, and any applicable telehealth, insurance, or service-specific forms.

TherapyNotes is also where we'll handle secure communication, scheduling, and billing.
When getting started with therapy, completing these forms beforehand gives me an initial understanding of what brings you to therapy, so we can use more of our first appointment for conversation.

The no-charge consultation and the first clinical appointment are separate things. The consultation helps us consider whether to proceed. The first appointment is a paid clinical service where assessment and therapeutic work begin.

For more on costs, coverage, and payment arrangements, visit Fees & Insurance.

You may also review the Social Media Policy to understand how I handle online interactions, privacy, and professional boundaries.

What to Expect in the First Therapy Session

The first therapy session gives us time to begin understanding what brings you here.

I'll want to hear about what you've been experiencing, what feels most important right now, and what you hope might be different. We may also touch on relevant parts of your personal, relational, clinical, and health history, along with your strengths, resources, and previous experiences with care. You'll have room to ask questions, share your preferences, and tell me about any concerns you have about beginning therapy.

You do not have to tell your entire life story in one appointment.

Some people arrive with one clearly defined concern. Others are dealing with several things at once or simply know that the ways they’ve been coping no longer feel sustainable.

You're the expert on you. My role is to listen carefully, bring clinical knowledge and perspective, and help us understand what may be contributing to what you're experiencing. Together we’ll collaborate so that you start identifying priorities and a direction for your therapeutic work.

The first appointment is a beginning, not the moment we have to understand everything or map out the entire course of therapy.

How Therapy Begins to Take Shape

During the early sessions, I continue learning about you, your experiences, relationships, strengths, values, patterns, concerns, and what matters most to you.

Therapy does not begin with selecting a technique. It begins with you.

My work is grounded in evidence-based psychotherapy and guided by an evidence-informed, whole-person approach that considers the interconnectedness of mind, body, heart, spirit, and lived experience.

Depending on your needs, we may pay attention to emotional patterns, thoughts, behaviors, relationships, nervous-system responses, bodily experiences, values, physical health, or the ways you've learned to cope with difficult circumstances

Talking remains an important part of holistic therapy, but it doesn't always have to be the only way we work. When clinically appropriate, sessions may also include reflection, practical skills, mindfulness, guided imagery, attention to mind-body patterns, journaling, creative expression, or other supportive methods within the scope of psychotherapy.

The goal isn't to use as many approaches as possible. It's to understand what may be genuinely helpful for you.

Therapy is not something done to you. It is something we create together, and priorities may shift as we learn more or as circumstances in your life change.

The process isn't always linear, either. At times, therapy may feel more like a spiral than a straight path. You may return to an experience or pattern with greater awareness or a different perspective than before.

You can learn more on the Holistic Integrative Psychotherapy page - Coming soon

Practical Details for Getting Started with Therapy

I provide in-person psychotherapy in Oxford, Connecticut. Online psychotherapy is available to eligible clients who are located in Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, consistent with professional licensing and telehealth requirements.

Appointments are offered during daytime hours and are subject to availability.

Fees and payment structures vary by service, and I'll explain what applies to the care you're considering before you decide whether to proceed. For eligible psychotherapy plans in Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, I'm currently an in-network behavioral health provider with:

• ConnectiCare
• UnitedHealthcare/Optum

Having one of these insurance companies does not automatically mean that your particular plan is in network. For other insurance companies, Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc is an out-of-network provider. Insurance plans vary, and coverage or reimbursement can't be guaranteed.
Finances are a reasonable part of deciding whether holistic therapy will be sustainable for you.

The Fees & Insurance page has more complete information.

If you are not using insurance or are not submitting a claim, you can also learn about your right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges.

If You're Considering KAP or Neurofeedback

You don’t need to decide on your own whether psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, or EEG Brain Training/Neurofeedback is the most appropriate place to begin. An initial intake is the doorway into all three, but they’re distinct services and do not necessarily follow the same process from there.

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and ketamine preparation and integration require additional clinical screening and service-specific consent. An independent qualified medical prescriber determines medical eligibility for ketamine assisted psychotherapy. And they are responsible for prescribing and medical management. I don’t prescribe ketamine or make medical dosing decisions.

EEG Brain Training/Neurofeedback begins with the initial intake, followed by an assessment of whether the service appears appropriate for your needs.

KAP and neurofeedback may also be part of a broader therapeutic process. Some clients work with me for holistic psychotherapy alongside these services, while others continue working with their existing therapist.

A no-charge consultation can help clarify which starting point makes sense.

You'll find more complete information on the Ketamine Therapy and EEG Brain Training or Neurofeedback pages that are coming soon

Taking the Next Step

Choosing a therapist is an important decision, and it’s okay to take your time. Getting started with therapy does not require a diagnosis, the right clinical language, or a clear treatment plan before contacting me.

A no-charge consultation gives us a place to start. We can talk about what you’re looking for, answer your initial questions, and consider whether holistic therapy through my practice may be a good fit. There is no obligation to begin therapy afterward.

Contact Mind Body Well Therapy to  schedule a consultation to ask questions and consider what kind of care may feel right for you.

About the Author

Lucrezia Mangione is a licensed professional counselor and founder of Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc. Her work is grounded in evidence-based psychotherapy and guided by an evidence-informed, whole-person approach that considers the interconnectedness of mind, body, heart, spirit, and lived experience.

She works with thoughtful, sensitive adults who may feel overwhelmed, anxious, emotionally exhausted, disconnected, or stuck, including caregivers, nurses, physicians, therapists, and other healthcare and helping professionals.

Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc is a private psychotherapy practice offering holistic integrative psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and integration support, and NeuroEase EEG brain training and neurofeedback. Information on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes and is not intended for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for individualized medical, psychological, or mental health care. See the Privacy Policy and Disclaimer for more details.