Top 10 Truths About Counseling, Therapy, and Psychotherapy
Ok, so you’ve found some potential therapists that seem great, and you’ve scheduled some free consultations, but maybe you have a ton of additional questions. There are lots of misunderstandings about therapy and the counseling process, so I thought I’d clear some of them up for you. Want to check out the top 10 myths? Click here!
Top 10 Truths about counseling and therapy
#1 Your therapist cares about you
I see this as the most important one. No matter what you are working on, no matter what you have done or been through, your therapist cares about you. Truly. Yes, we get paid to be with you, but I have never met a counselor who does not genuinely care about their clients.
#2 Therapy works
It does! You can learn so much in counseling, and as long as you are making the changes, you can have amazing impacts in your daily life.
#3 It’s normal to feel uncomfortable in counseling.
Therapy can bring up painful emotions or memories. This is normal and gives you the opportunity to work through these feelings.
#4 Therapy is work
Counseling does require you to do the work outside of the session. You only see your therapist for a limited amount of time, so the more you are doing outside of your counseling, the more progress you can make.
#5 Therapy can be fun
Yes, therapy is hard work. But it can also be fun! It’s okay to laugh during sessions, in fact, I highly recommend it! While it may not be fun in the traditional sense, you can have some lighter sessions that focus on joy instead of sadness.
#6 Virtual therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy.
This has become even more clear since the COVID-19 pandemic, but many virtual counselors have known this even before 2020. Counseling over the computer, whether by Zoom or another platform, can be just as helpful as meeting in person. And we have research to back this up! Even better, teletherapy allows you to meet with counselors that are too far for you to drive to, but have a specialization you need.
#7 Therapy is confidential.
We’ve discussed this before, but as a reminder, your therapist can not talk to anyone else about your or your counseling without permission (with a few exceptions).
#8 Counseling is a safe space.
Your counselor will not judge you, period. Therapy is your time to express and explore anything and everything, without being shamed.
#9 It’s okay to change therapists.
Not every therapist will be the right fit, and that’s okay. Or maybe you’ve gotten to a point where you need more specialized treatment, and that’s okay too. What’s important is that you find the counselor that’s the best fit for you.
#10 It’s worth it
Enough said.
And there you have it, my top 10 truths about therapy and counseling. If you are still feeling stuck, or have additional questions, feel free to fill out my contact form for a free 15 minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what you’re looking for and direct you to the right person. If you are looking for support as an autistic or ADHD adult, you can find out more about that here. And if you are feeling stuck in therapy, and need help breaking through a plateau, you can read about Brainspotting Intensives here.
