What to expect from therapy
So you’re considering therapy. Whether you’re at rock bottom or looking for some support, therapy can be helpful for a wide variety of complaints. Many people have been able to find peace through meeting with a psychologist, however that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t anxiety-provoking on the first session. While you can schedule a 30 minute free session just to ask some questions, if that feels too much then I’ve provided a few debunked myths/beliefs below about psychological treatment to provide more information.
Myth 1: I have to open up about everything.
A lot of times, we struggle to open up to our friends and family; doing so to a stranger can be unthinkable at times. But you gotta tell your psychologist everything in order for it to work, right?
Not always. You can tell me as much as you’re comfortable telling me. If I ask you something that you’re uncomfortable answering, then you can absolutely let me know that you dont’t want to talk about it. There is no judgment from me.
Myth 2: I have to do whatever I’m told in therapy.
This is a problematic myth in that people believe that they have no say in how their treatment is conducted and if they don’t do what the psychologist tells them, then that’s the end of therapy.
The truth is that all of therapy is directed by you. You tell me what you want to change, improve, or heal from, and I advise you the best way to get there. Together we choose a treatment path and I explain exactly which type of treatment and the techniques used. If you don’t like the way treatment is going or if you change your mind, then that’s not a problem. We will adjust the plan so that it is a better fit for you.
Myth 4: If I need a psychologist or ask for help, I’m weak.
Often we feel like we have to appear strong in all situations; asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness. Besides, people don’t want to hear my complaints, right?
Interesting fact: a big part of a psychologist’s job is literally listening to your complaints and helping you find solutions to them. Successful people are able to highlight their strengths but also admit their weaknesses. It is easy to say that no one is perfect, so why should we hold ourselves to that same, unrealistic standard? Serious things happen. We lose people close to us, endure stressful situations at work, and go through other tough events like divorce or break ups. People are strong enough to survive through these events, but sometimes we forget how to live and enjoy life. This is where a psychologist can help get you back on track.
Myth 3: I don’t need a psychologist; I’m not crazy.
While there are specialist psychologists who work with people with severe and persistent mental illness, extremely few cases are what you expect from how the media portrays those with significant illness.
The truth is that a majority of patients are friends, family, gainfully employed, parents or children. Therapy is helpful to anyone, whether you’re stressed out at work or school, or if you’re struggling through a divorce or death of a loved one. We can handle the heavy duty stuff, but psychologists can also be there if you just need to talk or vent.