“Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us.”
– David Richo
The final days of December often bring a natural pause—a moment to reflect on the year behind us and consider what we want for the year ahead. For many people, this quiet space between the holidays reveals something important: a recognition that support might be needed.
Perhaps this year brought more stress than you expected, old patterns showed up in new ways, or you simply feel ready for something to shift. The end of the year has a way of making these realizations clearer. If you are thinking about starting therapy, or returning to it after time away, the New Year can be a meaningful time to take that step.
Before you begin, here are five important things to think about as you prepare for the therapy process.
1. Be Honest With Yourself and Your Therapist
Many people are used to holding things together on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. The New Year offers a chance to drop that performance and acknowledge what is really happening beneath the surface.
Our team offers a space where you do not need to hide, minimize, or put on a brave face. Being honest with your therapist allows for a more authentic connection and more meaningful support. This includes sharing what you are struggling with, what you have already tried, and what has not worked. Your therapist is not there to judge you, but to understand you and help guide the process in a way that fits your needs.
2. Be Open to Exploring the Past
Many people expect therapy to focus only on recent events and current stress. While that is often part of the work, therapists may also invite you to reflect on earlier life experiences.
Our thoughts, beliefs, and emotional responses as adults are often shaped by what we learned earlier in life. As you consider the patterns that followed you through this past year, preparing yourself to gently explore meaningful moments from the past can help you better understand patterns that still show up today. You do not need to remember everything or share it all at once. The process unfolds gradually and at your pace.
Approaches such as integrative psychotherapy often look at both present experiences and past influences to support lasting change.
3. Find Someone You Feel Comfortable With
Not all therapists are the same, and finding the right fit matters. We each bring our own personalities, approaches, and areas of focus to the work, and what feels supportive to one person may not feel right to another.
That is why we offer a complimentary Meet and Greet. This gives you the chance to ask questions, learn about our approach, and get a sense of how the connection feels. You can ask about our experience, how sessions are structured, the kinds of tools we use, and what support between appointments may look like.
If you begin working together and it does not feel like the right fit, that is okay. Therapy is a collaborative relationship, and your comfort and sense of safety matter. Sharing what is not working can sometimes help clarify the next step, whether that is adjusting the approach or exploring other options. If you are unsure where to begin, booking a complimentary Meet and Greet can be a helpful first step.
4. Reflect on What You Want From Therapy
Before starting, it can be helpful to ask yourself a simple question: What are my best hopes for therapy in the coming year?
You might want relief from anxiety, clarity around a decision, support with relationships, or a deeper understanding of yourself. Perhaps you are a busy professional who just realized you have fallen into unhealthy habits—working through meals, saying yes when you mean no, or letting self-care slip away entirely. Maybe you are finding it hard to turn your brain off when you should be resting or relaxing, or you keep noticing yourself feeling frustrated about the same old things over and over again.
Some people are looking to move through a specific challenge, while others are drawn to personal growth and self-discovery The transition into a new year often brings these hopes into clearer focus.
Taking time to reflect on what you would like to feel, think, or do differently can help guide the early stages of therapy. Writing down thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and situations that feel distressing can also support this process.
5. Know That Things May Feel Worse Before They Feel Better
Therapy is meant to support healing, but that does not always mean it feels easy right away. Talking about sensitive or long-avoided topics can bring up discomfort, sadness, or frustration before relief sets in.
Therapists explore these areas carefully to help you move toward understanding, acceptance, and emotional integration. Over time, many people notice increased clarity, self compassion, and resilience.
It can be helpful to leave space before and after appointments so you are not rushing in or out. If you are doing weekly sessions of 50 or 75 minutes, ideally you would give yourself some time to settle before the session begins and reflect afterwards, allowing the work to integrate rather than immediately returning to your busy schedule.
An alternative we offer is Therapy Intensives, which are longer, concentrated sessions that span half a day to a full day or a couple of days in a row. These allow you to target something deeply without the pressure of fitting back into your workday right afterwards. The extended time creates natural space for processing and integration, and we even offer these on some Saturdays to accommodate your schedule. This format can be particularly helpful when you need focused time to work through something significant without interruption.
A Gentle Closing Thought
As this year draws to a close, starting or returning to therapy can feel daunting. Opening up to someone new and exploring your inner world takes courage. While discomfort may arise along the way, many people find the process deeply worthwhile.
If you are considering therapy as part of your intentions for the New Year, support is available, and you do not have to figure everything out on your own. Fill out the form below to let us know what you are experiencing, and someone from our team will be in touch to help you explore your next step.
