First Appointment Nerves
Nervous before your first appointment? That is common and completely normal. Whether you have social anxiety, or fears about consent or control over your appointment, we are here to help ease your mind. If you are trying a new clinic, new provider, or new service these feelings are all to be expected. The goal of all patient-centred practitioners is to ease your mind and make you feel safe, informed, and comfortable at your appointment.
Do some pre-visit research (but try not to overwhelm yourself).
Before going to any appointment, check out your provider's biography. Most clinics offer links to social media as well so you can get to know more about your provider, language they use, interests they have, and their general vibe. You can also look through the website in general to gain as much knowledge before your appointment as possible. Things like pricing, timing, treatments offered, and particularly Frequently Asked Question pages are super helpful in reducing any surprises that may pop up during your treatment time. I also suggest reading all confirmation emails so you know about parking, location of entrance, what to expect, what to wear, etc. You can also get a good feel of a clinic and the practitioners by reading google reviews. Just like a restaurant, a clinic’s reviews tell you a lot about how they practice, as well as what they do really well and maybe some areas they have had to improve in the past. Negative reviews aren’t necessarily a bad sign, as many businesses use negative reviews to positively impact and improve their operations and customer service.
Video content can be gold.
Being able to see into the clinic, or watch a video of your doctor or therapist before your appointment helps you visualize your experience and reduces the “fear of the unknown”. Put yourself in the clinic and imagine how it feels? If you are feeling excited, comforted, or drawn to the clinic after viewing these videos, that is a good sign that you are a right fit. You might also get to see what some treatment options look like before you receive them. Often common treatments can “feel” or “look” very different from practitioner to practitioner so it is always a good idea to check these videos out before hand, especially if you are hesitant about a treatment due to fear or past negative experiences.
Still unsure? Book a free Meet & Greet.
Most clinics have a free consultation/meet and greet appointment that allows you to get to the know the clinic, the practitioners, and the treatments offered before committing to a full first appointment. These are also typically offered in-person, over the phone or virtually by video calling, saving you the trouble of travel in case it is not a match. I always suggest preparing some questions you have so that you can get as much info out of your free appointment. My one heads up is that if you book a short, free appointment you may not be able to extend to a full intake as the doctor/therapist may have another appointment right after. Be prepared to use this free appointment as a one off, and that you may be required to come in a second time for the full thing.
Any more questions you didn’t fit into your meet and greet? Call or email ahead of your first appointment. Don’t be shy to put your questions in an email or leave a voicemail for a callback. There are no stupid questions and every concern is valid. The more info you have before your appointment the less time will be taken out of your initial visit to answer these questions (aka more time for treatment).
Consent is ongoing and you are always in control.
Know that before any treatment is done consent will be completed. Clinics should not be sending consent forms to patients before an examination. Consent should be informed, so know that your therapist will go through this thoroughly and there will be time for questions. You can say no to any treatment offered, you can also pivot and remove consent once treatment has begun. You can also request pressure change or if you have any concerns, we are always ready to pivot to get you the treatment you desire. Empower yourself by knowing that you can remove consent at any time if you aren’t feeling comfortable. Your appointment is always patient-centred and nothing is ever forced on you.
Pain does not equal appointment.
Visiting our clinic doesn’t have to be reserved for times of pain or injury. We offer a variety of services geared towards pain and injury of course, but we also offer services and options geared towards maintenance of health, performance and function. No pain, but thinking you could move or feel just a bit better? We can help with that. Wanting to run faster, jump higher, or bend further? We can also help with that. As athletes, artists, and healthcare providers, we understand having different needs at different times.
We will meet you where you’re at.
If you’re nervous, please let us know. We are always happy to slow down, repeat, or take our time so you don’t feel forced or rushed. If you have found different language or techniques helpful in the past, let us know and we will do our best to provide.
There is always a flow, and we start slowly.
Wondering how things work? We start with an intro about ourselves, profession, scope, and how we practice. Then we move forward with a casual chat about your goals, problems, general health, etc. After that, then we start your physical exam, where we let you know what we are doing before we do it. If you have any accommodations needed physically, we are there to help. Joint replacement? Pain causing you to move slowly? Take your time. Even during your treatment we are happy to explain any details and answer any questions. Nervous about needles or the cracking sound? We provide info, but also don’t force any treatment on you.
Taking the first step is often the hardest. Instead, break that first step down into a lot of tiny steps. Send an email, read a blog, watch a video, check out our FAQ, book a meet and greet, and THEN decide if you want to commit. You are welcome, seen, and met at your own pace. We can’t wait to meet you.
