---
title: "Your First Therapy Session | The Solace Space"
url: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/first-therapy-session
description: "What happens in your first therapy session with Colleen Ritz, from the free consult to questions, practical plans and private-pay rates in Georgia."
lang: en
---

# What actually happens in your _first session_.

(do i need to have the right words ready?)

You have the appointment on your calendar. Now your mind is trying to prepare for it like a job interview. What if you forget the important part? What if you tell the story in the wrong order? You do not need a polished explanation. The first session is a conversation, not a test of how well you can describe yourself.

I work with anxiety, OCD, panic, phobias, relationship issues, and stress and burnout. We can start with one recent moment instead of your entire history. If you're wondering whether this approach fits, the free 15-minute consult comes first. You can ask about the format, the cost, or whether the issue you want help with is within my work.

## The call before the appointment

The free 15-minute consultation is a short chance to talk. You can say what prompted you to reach out, even if all you have is 'I keep getting stuck in my head.' I can explain how I approach the concern and answer a few practical questions. A consult is not a full therapy session. You do not need to tell your entire story on that call, and you can decide afterward whether you want to schedule.

Ask what you want to know. How does CBT for anxiety (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/cbt-therapy) work? What does ERP for OCD (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/erp-ocd-therapy) involve? Can sessions happen online while you are in Georgia? If I am not the right fit, I will tell you on the consult and point you toward someone who is. You should not have to guess what kind of work you are signing up for.

## What we talk about first

Session one is mostly questions and your story. I might ask what has been happening lately, when you notice the worry, and what you do when it shows up. You may tell me about the moment you began avoiding a route, the conversation you keep replaying, or the check that never feels complete. Those details help us understand the pattern more than a perfect timeline would.

I may ask about what you have already tried, what helped even a little, and what made things more tangled. You can say you do not know. You can ask me to slow down or explain a question. If something is uncomfortable to discuss right away, you can say that too. The work needs your honesty, not a performance of being a model therapy client.

## A plan that belongs to your real week

We are not meeting so you can spend an hour talking and then return to exactly the same loop. Together we look for a specific place where the pattern appears. Maybe you reread a message until it feels right, or you say yes to something because saying no feels too risky. We can decide what a small, useful experiment between appointments might look like.

That practice is not homework graded for correctness. It gives us something concrete to discuss: what did you predict, what did you do, and what came up? If the step was too big, we make it smaller. If the situation changed, we adjust. Read more about how I work with anxiety (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/anxiety-therapy) if you want a fuller picture of this practical approach.

## What you can leave with

You might leave with a clearer description of a pattern and a first step you both agreed to try. You might leave with a question to notice during your week rather than a task to complete. The first visit is a starting point for figuring out what fits. It is not a deadline for feeling different, and no one should promise you an outcome from one conversation.

You can also ask where the work is headed, how we will check whether an exercise is useful, and what happens if you disagree with a suggestion. The answer should leave room for your goals and your pace. Person-centered therapy (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/person-centered-therapy) means your experience matters in the room, even when we are doing structured, skills-based work.

## Format, cost and practical questions

The office is at 290 S Main St, Suite 200 in Alpharetta. Secure telehealth is available while you are anywhere in Georgia. You can choose the format that makes it possible to show up with enough privacy to talk. If you are considering online sessions, think about where you can close a door and what time of day gives you the least interruption.

The consult is free and lasts 15 minutes. An individual session costs $185 for 50 minutes; a couples session costs $200 for 50 minutes. This is a private-pay practice and does not take insurance. A superbill is available for you to submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement; your plan decides whether it pays anything. Rates and payment details (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/rates) are available before you book.

## You can bring questions too

It is fair to ask what we would do if a particular approach does not fit, how between-session practice works, or how your goals shape the plan. For couples, you can ask how both people participate. For teens ages 13 to 17, you can ask how parent involvement is handled. These are reasonable questions, not a sign that you are difficult to work with.

You are allowed to ask for plain language. If I say ERP, you can ask what that means for your week. If you are worried you will forget what you wanted to ask, write one or two questions in your phone before the appointment. That is enough preparation. You do not need a script, a diagnosis, or proof that your problem is 'bad enough' to have a conversation about it.

One question you can write down is what would make an appointment useful even if you feel nervous. Maybe you want to understand why a familiar situation suddenly gets so much attention in your head. Maybe you want to stop repeating a check before leaving home. You do not have to settle on a big life goal. A small, ordinary example gives us somewhere to begin. If you are arriving as a couple, each person can name one moment where the conversation tends to go sideways. We can listen for the pattern rather than decide who has the better version of the story. If you forget your question during the session, you can bring it up next time. There is no secret list of things you were supposed to remember on day one.

Common questions

## Quick answers.

Do I have to tell my entire story in the first session?

No. We can start with what is happening now and take time to understand the pattern.

Is the first consultation a therapy session?

No. It is a free 15-minute call to discuss fit and answer practical questions.

How much does a session cost?

Individual sessions are $185 for 50 minutes, and couples sessions are $200 for 50 minutes. The consult is free.

Keep reading

- Anxiety Therapy: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/anxiety-therapy
- Rates: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/rates
- Online Therapy in Georgia: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/online-therapy-georgia

## Want help with _yours_?

A free 15-minute call. You tell me what's going on. I tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.

Book the consult (https://calendly.com/thesolacespacetherapy/free-15-minute-consultation)

## Structured data

```json
[
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
      {
        "@type": "Person",
        "@id": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/#colleen-ritz",
        "name": "Colleen Ritz",
        "honorificSuffix": "MA, LPC",
        "jobTitle": "Licensed Professional Counselor",
        "url": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/about-me",
        "email": "colleendonahueritz@gmail.com",
        "telephone": "+1-603-209-2168",
        "alumniOf": {
          "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
          "name": "Antioch University"
        },
        "hasCredential": [
          {
            "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
            "credentialCategory": "license",
            "name": "Licensed Professional Counselor, Georgia (GA LPC #016238)"
          },
          {
            "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
            "credentialCategory": "degree",
            "name": "MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Antioch University"
          }
        ],
        "memberOf": {
          "@type": "Organization",
          "name": "International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)"
        },
        "knowsLanguage": "en-US",
        "sameAs": [
          "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/colleen-ritz-alpharetta-ga/1134095"
        ]
      },
      {
        "@type": "MedicalClinic",
        "@id": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/#practice",
        "name": "The Solace Space Therapy",
        "legalName": "CDR Counseling, LLC",
        "url": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/",
        "email": "colleendonahueritz@gmail.com",
        "telephone": "+1-603-209-2168",
        "address": {
          "@type": "PostalAddress",
          "streetAddress": "290 S Main St, Suite 200",
          "addressLocality": "Alpharetta",
          "addressRegion": "GA",
          "postalCode": "30009",
          "addressCountry": "US"
        },
        "areaServed": [
          {
            "@type": "State",
            "name": "Georgia"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Alpharetta, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Roswell, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Milton, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Johns Creek, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Cumming, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Duluth, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Suwanee, GA"
          },
          {
            "@type": "City",
            "name": "Sandy Springs, GA"
          }
        ],
        "availableLanguage": [
          {
            "@type": "Language",
            "name": "English"
          }
        ],
        "medicalSpecialty": "Psychiatric",
        "serviceType": [
          "Anxiety therapy",
          "OCD therapy (Exposure and Response Prevention)",
          "Panic attack treatment",
          "Social anxiety therapy",
          "Health anxiety therapy",
          "Perfectionism therapy",
          "High-functioning anxiety therapy",
          "Teen therapy (ages 13-17)",
          "SPACE parent-led treatment",
          "EFT couples therapy",
          "Online therapy across Georgia",
          "Intrusive thoughts therapy",
          "Harm OCD therapy",
          "Relationship OCD therapy",
          "Pure O OCD therapy",
          "Generalized anxiety therapy",
          "Overthinking therapy"
        ],
        "availableService": [
          {
            "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
            "name": "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)"
          },
          {
            "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
            "name": "Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)"
          },
          {
            "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
            "name": "Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)"
          },
          {
            "@type": "MedicalTherapy",
            "name": "Person-Centered Therapy"
          }
        ],
        "provider": {
          "@id": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/#colleen-ritz"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "@id": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/first-therapy-session#faq",
    "url": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/first-therapy-session",
    "mainEntity": [
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Do I have to tell my entire story in the first session?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "No. We can start with what is happening now and take time to understand the pattern."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Is the first consultation a therapy session?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "No. It is a free 15-minute call to discuss fit and answer practical questions."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "How much does a session cost?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Individual sessions are $185 for 50 minutes, and couples sessions are $200 for 50 minutes. The consult is free."
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 1,
        "name": "Home",
        "item": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 2,
        "name": "Resources",
        "item": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 3,
        "name": "Your First Therapy Session",
        "item": "https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/first-therapy-session"
      }
    ]
  }
]
```