In the first session, your therapist will then take some time getting to know you, gathering information about your relationship history, family histories and the issues that brought you to counselling. The first session is very much focused on gathering and providing information so expectations are clear and the therapist can develop a deeper understanding of your background and concerns. They will also go over the boundaries and ground rules of counselling, including confidentiality, situations in which mandatory reporting is necessary (for example, in cases of child abuse), the methodologies used by the therapist and the cancellation policy.