There are many misconceptions about seeking help with your mental health through counseling. People of all walks of life can benefit from counseling or therapy as it helps people through tough times, sometimes just to help someone collect thoughts or even help them find answers to hard questions. Counseling doesn’t have to be scary , here are 8 things you might have heard that scared you off, but just aren’t true.
1. Going to therapy means I’m broken/something is wrong with me :
Many people believe that you have something wrong with you for even seeking help, but just like with the flu you wouldn’t say that something is wrong with you would just say you are sick. Many people will only see a therapist for a short period of their life while they are figuring out things and needing help.
2. Therapy Is just a lot of talking :
Some believe that therapy or counseling is just sitting around talking about your feelings, and I could just talk with a friend or family member. This isn't really true as therapists have an expertise and the tools to help you with any and all mental health hurdles you may come across.
3. All therapists are the same :
Just as everyone has their own personal way of doing their work, every therapist has his or her own style and approach to therapy. It is absolutely essential that a client feels comfortable with his or her therapist. Because of this, many therapists provide the first session free or at low cost to allow both the client and therapist to decide whether or not the therapeutic relationship is a good fit. For someone to share his or her personal thoughts and feelings, he or she needs to feel safe and at ease with the therapist.
4. My therapist will tell me what to do :
Each person is the expert on his or her own life. The role of the therapist is not to tell someone what to do, but to help a person better understand his or her thoughts and feelings in order to solve his or her own problems.
5.Therapy will take years to help :
You decide how long you would like to remain in therapy. Most therapists are able to provide effective short-term therapy, which generally lasts between 8 and 20 sessions and focuses on specific problems and goals. Longer-term therapy can last for a few months, a year, or longer and is typically focused on how your personality and family history influence the behaviors you are trying to change.
6.Therapy has to be in person :
There have been many different apps that have been made specifically for people who don't want the in-person part of therapy. This has helped many people, allowing them to have video chats, phone calls, or even text appointments with their therapist.
7.Therapists just want to talk about childhoods :
Therapists can talk about your childhood, but therapists will never try and force you to discuss things that you don’t feel comfortable discussing.
8. I have to be friends with my therapist :
Therapy is meant to be a frictionless, supportive relationship, free from the typical power struggles and dynamics that often complicate everyday social interactions.
Hopefully this sorts out some of the misconceptions that you had in mind and allows you to see therapy for what it is. Therapy can be scary for many different reasons, these should not be reasons for you to not go and experience therapy for what it is. Therapy has helped many people get through rough patches in their lives and will continue to help many more.
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