What to Expect in Your First Osteopathy Session: A Step-by-Step Guide

Katie Brierley, M.Ost, M.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons)
Jun 18
6 min read

Updated: Oct 18

Walking into something new can feel a little nerve‑wracking. Like the first day of school, but without the pencil case. Let me take the mystery out of your first osteopathy session step-by-step so you know exactly what to expect. Spoiler: it’s gentle, relaxed, and you might even get a cat cameo.

A flat illustration of a casually dressed osteopathic practitioner with curly brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a long-sleeve yellow shirt. She stands at a wooden door with four glass panes and a black handle, warmly greeting a white woman holding a baby. A skinny grey tabby cat with white paws sits nearby, and a small potted plant adds warmth to the scene.

By the time you arrive, you’ve already done the hardest part. You’ve booked online or over the phone, and filled out the intake forms I sent you by email. That gives me a head start on the administrative details and your health history.

From there, it’s straight into your first session. Whether you’re coming in solo or bringing your child along as your tiny sidekick, I’m here to walk you through each step so nothing feels like a surprise.

1. The Warm Welcome

Once you park on the street or in the driveway, I’ll greet you at the front door and show you where to leave your shoes before bringing you into the treatment room with your coat and bag. My kids or my cat may pop their heads out to say hello, so you can think of them as your unofficial welcoming committee.

If you’re arriving with children, don’t worry about unloading all the snacks, toys, and stuffies that came along for the ride. They’re all welcome here. You'll settle into a cozy chair for the next part of the consultation. Little ones can settle on your lap, curl up in their own chair, or dive into my basket of toys. Sometimes they play, sometimes they snack, sometimes they just want to cuddle, and it's all perfectly fine.

2. The Chat

Before we do anything hands‑on, we sit down for a conversation about whoever's getting treated. This is your chance to tell me your story. I want to know what brings you in, what hurts, and how it's affecting your or your little one's day to day. If I'm treating your child, the questions might be a little different and you can answer solo or as a team.

A flat illustration of a casually dressed osteopathic manual practitioner with curly brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a long-sleeve yellow shirt. She sits at a white desk with a small potted plant on top, attentively speaking to an Indian man seated in a white chair with a young girl on her lap.

I might ask about:

Your child's birth story and any notable bumps they've had
Your current symptoms (pain, stiffness, or that “something just feels off” feeling)
Past injuries (yes, even that broken bone from grade school or the fender‑bender years ago)
Past surgeries
The overall health of your heart, lungs, intestines, bladder, and uterus (if you've got one)
The activities you love (or miss doing) and the demands of your daily life

Why so many questions? Your answers help me understand how your city runs - where traffic flows smoothly, where signals sometimes falter, and where the repair crews are trying to reach. Think of your answers as the city’s maintenance log. They help me see the whole picture, decide if the routes are safe to work on, and choose the best way to reopen flow so your body’s innate repair systems can work at their best. To learn more about how osteopathy works, check out Osteopathy Explained.

Your body is like a city and your healthy history provides me with the maintenance logs to keep it running smoothly.

3. The Assessment

Next, we’ll do a standing and seated assessment in the comfortable clothes you wore in or changed into when you arrived. Osteopathy is always done over clothing, so there’s no need to undress. Just wear something you can move easily in. I’ll start by looking head to toe for symmetry, regions under strain, and areas that look free. This part is always guided by you or your child’s comfort level, so if you’d prefer I don’t assess certain areas, that’s perfectly fine and won’t affect your quality of care.

These initial observations give me a sense of how your city is running. I want to know where traffic flows smoothly, where signals are stuck, and where repair crews may be working overtime. From there, I’ll continue to assess regions that draw my attention by:

Using light touch to feel how tight or relaxed your joints and muscles are.
Moving some of your joints for you.
Asking you to move your joints.
Placing my hands on your head or your tailbone.
Occasionally assessing deeper structures, like the diaphragm or digestive system, since tension there can ripple out to the rest of the body.

An osteopathic manual practitioner conducts an assessment of a standing woman during an initial consultation. The setting is minimal focusing on the practitioner’s attentive posture and the client’s relaxed stance.

This part doesn’t hurt, though tender spots sometimes show up along the way. Tender spots are perfectly normal. They're your body’s way of highlighting areas under extra strain that need special attention.

By the end of the assessment, I’ll have a clearer map of your body’s traffic patterns - the smooth routes, the bottlenecks, and the detours. This map guides the treatment that follows, ensuring it’s not only safe but also tailored uniquely to you.

4. The Treatment (Everyone’s Favourite Part)

Now for the good stuff. Treatment is as gentle as the assessment, but even more relaxing. Most of the time, you can lay down on my padded treatment table and relax while I get to work. Some clients - especially babies - even drift off to sleep during this part.

What it might include:

Gentle movements of the neck, back, arms, legs, hands, and feet to release tension
Light pressure to individual joints or muscles
Stretching or muscle energy techniques
Soft tissue release in the abdomen if it’s connected to your symptoms
Cranial techniques for the bones of the head and nervous system

There’s no clicking or popping. It's just simple techniques that help your body move better. If you’re curious, I’ll explain what I’m finding as we go. If you’d rather zone out, that’s fine too. For babies and children, treatment is even gentler and can be done while they’re in your arms, having a feed, resting comfortably on the table, or playing.

It's perfectly normal to notice sensations like warmth or lightness as your body responds to treatment. As I clear the traffic jams and the repair crews start to get through, things start to flow better and the heaviness of tension clears. These sensations are reminders that your body has all the tools it needs to heal. It just needed help clearing the cobwebs from the toolshed to do it.

There's no clicking or popping. Just relaxing techniques that help you move better.

5. Before You're Out the Door

An hour can really fly by. When we’re done, you’ll often feel lighter, looser, and sometimes even surprised that such gentle work can leave you feeling so different. Initial appointments are only 30 minutes for kids and babies, but we cover a lot in that time too. All of the excitement and nerves, combined with the calming effect of osteopathic treatment, can leave kids pretty tired. Adults sometimes feel deeply relaxed, while others feel a little more energized. Both are perfectly normal. You or your child might crave a nap (or a snack) afterward, and occasionally those tender spots I found can zing for an hour or two if a deeper release was needed.

A flat illustration of an osteopathic manual practitioner with curly brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a long-sleeve yellow shirt. She is standing beside a client, using hand gestures to explain findings in a calm, professional manner. A skinny grey tabby cat with white paws sits nearby, and a potted plant adds warmth to the background.

We’ll finish by reviewing what I found and treated, along with simple advice for what to do once you leave. Think of it as your city’s post‑tune‑up notes - a guide to help the new flow settle in.

From there, you can pay by card or cash. We’ll usually book a follow‑up session in a week or two. If things are going well after that, you may only need to come back in another 4–6 weeks, which we can decide together.

Your first osteopathy session is really about me getting to know your story, your body, and your goals. It's also designed to give you a feel for how osteopathy can support you. It’s relaxed, collaborative, and (dare I say) even enjoyable.

So, come as you are. Bring your questions, your aches, and maybe a little curiosity. I’ll bring the expertise, the gentle techniques, and possibly a cat cameo. Together, we'll help your city find its flow again.

Frequently Asked Questions About Your First Osteopathy Session

Do I need a referral? Nope! If you're claiming through private insurance you may need a note from a doctor, though. It's a good idea to check with your provider before you book just in case.

How much does a consultation cost? It depends on whether it's for an adult or a child. For up-to-date pricing info, click here.

Can I do osteopathy if I'm already doing massage therapy, physiotherapy, or chiropractic care? Absolutely! Osteopathy works well alongside other treatments. Many people combine osteopathy with massage therapy, physiotherapy, or chiropractic care to maximize results. If you're doing other treatments, let me know so I can tailor your session accordingly.

How many sessions will I need? It depends on your body and goals. We can discuss a personalized treatment plan at your first visit. Most clients who come in to resolve a specific complaint, decide to keep coming for preventative care after because they enjoy it so much.

Where can I find out more? Check out my FAQ page for answers to all your burning questions.

Curious about what osteopathy feels like in real life (and not just in blog form)? Come try it out!

Move for what you love.

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