First sessions
What Actually Happens in a First Therapy Session
The intake hour broken into stages: what gets asked, what you can leave out, and how the session usually closes.
Read the walkthroughThinkGroup collects structured feedback from people who have actually sat in the room. Consultation style, waiting times, medical aid claims, telehealth options, how the intake felt. Alongside the reviews we publish plain-language explainers on first sessions, GP referrals and the difference between a clinical psychologist and a counsellor.
Filter by suburb, session language, approach and whether evening or weekend slots exist. Practitioners can claim a listing and respond to feedback. Seen a therapist in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban or Pretoria? Add your review so the next person has an easier time choosing.
A review about waiting times, a first session that felt rushed, or a practice that finally explained medical aid claims in plain terms — that is what shortens the search for the next person. If you have sat in a consulting room in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban or Pretoria, your account belongs here.
Not ready to write yet? Start with how we read feedback or browse the published reviews first.
What we ask for
Three pieces that answer the questions people ask us most often, from what the first hour actually looks like to how registration changes what your medical aid will pay for.
First sessions
The intake hour broken into stages: what gets asked, what you can leave out, and how the session usually closes.
Read the walkthroughRegistration
Protected titles, scope of practice, and why the distinction matters when a GP refers you or a claim goes in.
See the comparisonChanging practitioners
How to raise it in the last session, what to ask the next psychologist, and how to carry context across.
Read the guide