{"id":517,"date":"2026-04-09T16:07:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T10:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/?p=517"},"modified":"2026-04-09T16:07:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T10:37:43","slug":"what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session for Alcohol or Drug Use"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='booster-block booster-read-block'>\n                <div class=\"twp-read-time\">\n                \t<i class=\"booster-icon twp-clock\"><\/i> <span>Read Time:<\/span>3 Minute, 35 Second                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting counselling for alcohol or drug use can feel intimidating, even if you\u2019re sure you want help. Many people worry they\u2019ll be judged, pressured into a specific outcome, or asked to share more than they\u2019re ready to. In reality, first sessions are usually focused on understanding what\u2019s been happening, what you want to change (if anything), and what support could realistically look like in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re exploring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhn.org.au\/services\/drugs-alcohol\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>drug and alcohol counselling melbourne<\/u><\/a> services, it can help to know that the first appointment is typically a foundation-setting conversation rather than a \u201cfix it today\u201d moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What the First Session Is Usually For<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first session is often about three things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Building a picture of your current situation<\/strong> (what you\u2019re using, when, and why it matters)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Understanding what you want<\/strong> (change, stability, reduced harm, support through relapse, or clarity)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Agreeing on a next step<\/strong> that feels realistic and safe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need to arrive with a perfect story or a clearly defined goal. \u201cI\u2019m not sure, but I\u2019m worried\u201d is enough to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Kinds of Questions You Might Be Asked<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A counsellor may ask practical questions to understand patterns and risk. Common areas include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What substances you use (including alcohol) and how often<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What a typical week looks like for you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Triggers and high-risk moments (stress, conflict, loneliness, social settings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Physical health and mental health factors (sleep, anxiety, mood, trauma history if relevant)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Current supports (friends, family, GP, work, community)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Safety questions (withdrawal risk, self-harm thoughts, unsafe situations)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some questions can feel direct. They\u2019re usually not about judging you, they\u2019re about making sure the support plan matches your reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Confidentiality and Its Limits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confidentiality is a key part of counselling, but there are usually a few limits where a service may need to act to protect safety. The counsellor will typically explain this early so you know where the boundaries are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re unsure about anything, you can ask: \u201cWhat stays private, and what would you have to report or act on?\u201d That is a normal and reasonable question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You Won\u2019t Be Forced Into One \u201cRight\u201d Goal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common fear is that counselling will only be supportive if you commit to abstinence immediately. In practice, many counselling approaches meet you where you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your first session may explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whether your goal is abstinence, moderation, or harm reduction<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What \u201cbetter\u201d would look like to you (fewer binges, safer use, fewer consequences)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What feels achievable in the next week or two<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your goal is unclear, the session can focus on stabilising things first: reducing risk, understanding triggers, and finding a manageable starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What If You Don\u2019t Want to Share Everything Yet?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can set the pace. A first session works even if you\u2019re not ready to talk about everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Helpful phrases people use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cThere are parts of this I\u2019m not ready to get into today.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI can give the broad picture, but not the details yet.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI\u2019m still figuring out what I feel safe sharing.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good counsellor will work with what you can offer and help you build trust over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Practical Tools You Might Leave With<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even early on, you may finish the session with something concrete. This might be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A simple plan for high-risk moments (who to call, what to do, what to avoid)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A strategy for cravings (delay, distract, surf the urge, change environment)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A tracking method that isn\u2019t obsessive (notes on time, triggers, consequences)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A discussion about medical support if withdrawal risk is a concern<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A recommendation to involve a GP for physical or mental health needs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aim is usually one or two small steps, not a complete life overhaul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Happens After the First Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you finish, you\u2019ll usually discuss what happens next, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How often sessions might be helpful (weekly, fortnightly, flexible)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether you want ongoing counselling, group support, or additional services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What progress will look like (reduced harm, improved stability, fewer crises)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to handle setbacks without giving up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the first session doesn\u2019t feel like a good fit, that doesn\u2019t mean counselling won\u2019t help. Fit matters. It\u2019s okay to try again with a different person or approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n        <div class=\"booster-block booster-reactions-block\">\n            <div class=\"twp-reactions-icons\">\n                \n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-1\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/happy.svg\" alt=\"Happy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Happy                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                        \n                                                <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-2\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/sad.svg\" alt=\"Sad\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Sad                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-3\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/excited.svg\" alt=\"Excited\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Excited                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-6\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/sleepy.svg\" alt=\"Sleepy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Sleepy                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                        \n                                                <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-4\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/angry.svg\" alt=\"Angry\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">Angry<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                        \n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-5\" post-id=\"517\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/surprise.svg\" alt=\"Surprise\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">Surprise<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting counselling for alcohol or drug use can feel intimidating, even if you\u2019re sure you want help. Many people worry they\u2019ll be judged, pressured into a specific outcome, or asked to share more than they\u2019re ready to. In reality, first sessions are usually focused on understanding what\u2019s been happening, what you want to change (if [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":518,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-lifestyle"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FreeListingAustralia Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"846\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Web Master\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Web Master\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Web Master\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d13e7677b89c7b3c1c2f1184f2ee96f3\"},\"headline\":\"What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session for Alcohol or Drug Use\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":726,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Health\",\"Lifestyle\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/\",\"name\":\"Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00\",\"description\":\"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":846},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session for Alcohol or Drug Use\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"FreeListingAustralia Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"FreeListingAustralia Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/FreeListingAU-blogs-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/FreeListingAU-blogs-logo.png\",\"width\":234,\"height\":50,\"caption\":\"FreeListingAustralia Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d13e7677b89c7b3c1c2f1184f2ee96f3\",\"name\":\"Web Master\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Web Master\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog","description":"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog","og_description":"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/","og_site_name":"FreeListingAustralia Blog","article_published_time":"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":846,"url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Web Master","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Web Master","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/"},"author":{"name":"Web Master","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d13e7677b89c7b3c1c2f1184f2ee96f3"},"headline":"What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session for Alcohol or Drug Use","datePublished":"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/"},"wordCount":726,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp","articleSection":["Health","Lifestyle"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/","url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/","name":"Your First Alcohol or Drug Counselling Session: What to Expect - FreeListingAustralia Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp","datePublished":"2026-04-09T10:37:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-09T10:37:43+00:00","description":"A practical guide to a first substance-use counselling session: what you\u2019ll be asked, confidentiality basics, goal-setting, and what happens after.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/What-to-Expect-in-Your-First-Counselling-Session-for-Alcohol-or-Drug-Use.webp","width":1536,"height":846},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-in-your-first-counselling-session-for-alcohol-or-drug-use\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What to Expect in Your First Counselling Session for Alcohol or Drug Use"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/","name":"FreeListingAustralia Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"FreeListingAustralia Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FreeListingAU-blogs-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FreeListingAU-blogs-logo.png","width":234,"height":50,"caption":"FreeListingAustralia Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d13e7677b89c7b3c1c2f1184f2ee96f3","name":"Web Master","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9098b0ad335160d3a91a4120704ff46281b5f9625e130e80b41211b4a6e1b748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Web Master"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog"],"url":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":519,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions\/519"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freelistingaustralia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}