The intake comes first
Nearly every practitioner begins with paperwork and a conversation, usually twenty to forty minutes. Expect questions well beyond the complaint that brought you: sleep, digestion, energy through the day, stress, previous injuries, medications and supplements. Bring an accurate list of what you take. Interactions between herbs and prescriptions are real, and a good practitioner will want to know.
What the room is like
Acupuncture. You lie on a padded table. Needles are single-use, sterile and far finer than the ones used for injections — most people describe a dull heaviness rather than a sharp sting. You rest with them in place for twenty to thirty minutes. Many people fall asleep.
Chiropractic. An examination of posture and range of motion comes first, often with imaging if there is a history of injury. Adjustments may produce an audible release, which is gas moving within the joint rather than bone.
Massage and bodywork. You undress to your comfort level and are draped throughout; only the area being worked is uncovered. Pressure should be negotiable at any moment, and saying so is normal and expected.
Counselling. A first session is largely orientation — what brings you, what you want, how the practitioner works. You are also assessing them. It is entirely reasonable to meet two or three before deciding.
Afterwards
Feeling tired, thirsty or unusually relaxed after bodywork is common. Soreness for a day or two after deep work is common. Feeling significantly worse is not, and is worth reporting.
You can stop at any point, for any reason, without explanation. A practitioner who makes that difficult has told you what you need to know about them.