When considering counseling you may wonder,  “Will I do all of the talking?”

While the focus is on you, and you will do most of the talking the therapist will ask you questions to guide you.
Those questions might be as broad as, “What brings you here?” or a specific as, “What was the first time you ever remember feeling x ?.”
Your therapist wants to make you feel comfortable. 
Most good therapists pick up on your comfort level and give you enough prompting in the way of questions to help you feel at ease, and as much room as you need to flesh out a certain thought or feeling.
You may feel hesitant in talking or find that the words just come tumbling out.
I have seen both and either is O.K.
I know that you come to therapy because you are in emotional pain.
When you choose to reveal yourself to me I take that very seriously.
I know that you have mustered up your courage and are taking a chance to talk to a stranger even a trained one.
I know and appreciate that you may have so much to say that you will probably cry when you tell your story- almost everyone does.
 After listening to folks for over 30 years I have come to appreciate the silences that happen in deep reflective talking and listening.
In our culture it is so normal for chatter to fill up all the conversational space.
In therapy, it is OK to take a moment and gather your thoughts.
More than O.K. Necessary. Expected. 
OK  to give voice to the sensations that until now, you have felt in your body; the knot in your gut, the hurt in your heart or the lump in your throat.
Together, we can help you find words for those emotions or to help you sort through a mix of feelings.
I find most folks have a pivotal moment when they decide to seek out counseling, make the call or send the email to get started.
The moment when therapy goes from sounding like a good idea to the moment when it becomes I need this now.  
It may be a long-standing problem that just gets too much to bear.
Or it might be one upsetting event that shows you that something has to change.
Know that I know you are in a vulnerable state when you make the call.
Although you reach out in pain, reaching out can be the turning point in your life.  
 Whatever has happened in your life or in your heart, that prompted making contact; while it might be quite upsetting, it might well be the beginning of a transformation to living a better and happier life.