Do you ever feel like you need to have all the answers in the first few sessions? Maybe you’ve wondered if your client is silently asking themselves, is this going to help?

In this episode of Inside Social Work, I chat with Dr Bronwyn Milkins from the Mental Work podcast about the pressures, pacing, and expectations that sit inside the first three sessions of therapy. We unpack what actually helps clients stay engaged and why slowing down can sometimes be the most helpful thing we do.

This conversation is honest, practical, and filled with reflections for early career therapists and anyone supporting people through the first steps of therapy.

Key Takeaways:

• Why the first three sessions can feel like they carry extra pressure for both clients and therapists
• What actually helps people stay in therapy
• The power of making the therapy process visible
• Why clarity, structure, and customer service really matter
• How scripts and checklists can guide, not restrict, the work
• Why slowing down is sometimes the most effective thing we can do
• The importance of culture, lived experience, and meaningful engagement
• Practical ways to check in, offer choice, and build trust

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love for you to share it with your colleagues or anyone supporting people in their early therapy sessions. You can also explore more resources and on-demand training via the website. Thanks for listening to Inside Social Work.

Contact Dr Bronwyn Milkins @ mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com

Resources:

• On-Demand Training: Enhancing Clinical Outcomes in the First Three Sessions
• Mental Work Podcast

👉 Learn more about my on-demand course: Enhance Clinical Outcomes in the First Three Sessions: https://marievakakis.com.au/courses/enhancing-clinical-outcomes-in-the-first-three-sessions/ 

Got something you'd like to hear on the podcast?

🎙️ Got a question or something on your mind? Send it through. You can write it or email a voice memo to contact@marievakakis.com.au, and it might be featured in a future episode of Inside Social Work.

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Mentioned in this episode:

5 Days to Career Clarity in Social Work

Reflect, plan, and take your next step with confidence.
Feeling stuck or unsure about your next move?

https://mailchi.mp/marievakakis/days-to-career-clarity-in-social-work

5 Days to Career Clarity in Social Work

Reflect, plan, and take your next step with confidence.
Feeling stuck or unsure about your next move?

https://mailchi.mp/marievakakis/days-to-career-clarity-in-social-work