Talking to a Psychologist About Trauma: How to Prepare and What to Say
The first conversation about trauma with a therapist is one of the most challenging. You might wonder what to say, where to start, if you need to share everything at once, and how to choose a trauma specialist.
“I don’t know where to start.” “What if he/she doesn’t believe me?” “I’m afraid I’ll start crying and won’t be able to stop.” “I’m ashamed to talk about it.”
These thoughts before your first conversation with a psychologist about trauma are completely normal. Here's what helps.
1. Find the Right Specialist
Not every psychologist works well with trauma. Look for a specialist trained in one of these methods:
- EMDR (EMDRIA certified)
- CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy)
- SE (Somatic Experiencing – certified)
- IFS (Internal Family Systems)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
When you meet, you can directly ask: “Do you work with PTSD? What methods do you use?”
2. What to Say at the First Session
You are not obligated to share the details of the event. It's enough to say something like:
- “I went through something difficult, and it’s hard for me to talk about it.”
- “I have symptoms: [flashbacks / nightmares / anxiety / difficulty relaxing]”
- “I want to process an experience from [the past / childhood / recent events]”
3. What You Can Do Before the Session
- Write down the main points – sometimes it’s easier to show what you’ve written than to speak.
- Identify the main symptoms that are bothering you now.
- Think about what outcome you want (you don’t necessarily need to know the “goal” – just what you want to change).
4. Red Flags in a Specialist
- Pressures you to “tell everything right now”
- Interprets your story without asking questions
- Promises quick results
- Doesn’t discuss safety protocols before starting trauma work
- You don’t feel safe with them
Talk to our AI psychologist psybot.app. Read also: EMDR: A Method for Treating PTSD.