Thinking About Therapy?

Engaging in therapy takes work. Even when one has learned that a problem is too significant to solve alone, asking for help is challenging for even the most courageous among us. The questions can sometimes seem even more overwhelming if someone can overcome that initial block. Does this mean I am defective or weird? What happens in a therapist’s office? How do I choose one? Can I trust them? Will it be part of my medical record? Will it affect my job? Those are only a few of the questions one asks, and part of what makes a person’s perception of therapy feel about as enjoyable as being dragged on your knees across the pavement. The first step to answering these questions is to think of yourself as in charge.

Many therapists offer free consultations. Connecting in this way helps you interview them to see if you are comfortable with them. A good therapist should collaborate with you on your goals for therapy and check in with you often to ensure your goals are satisfied. They are not the experts in your life; YOU are.

Your records are strictly confidential, and therapists uphold high ethical standards regarding protecting your information. Your job status will not be affected, and you don’t need to provide details to anyone you don’t want to.

Effective therapy combines the one-hour session in the therapist’s office and the work done during the week, in the time between sessions, in the laboratory of your own environment. That is where skills and behaviors planned in the office are practiced. The objective of the one-hour session is to reflect on and process your progress during the week. Although it is not always straightforward, it can be simple. The more work you do during the week, the more productive your sessions will be. Suppose clients don’t do the actual work outside of therapy. In that case, they may have multiple superficial sessions with the therapist, never digging into any deeper issues and resolutions. They may become frustrated at the lack of progress and abandon therapy without being effectively engaged. Many clients report much more satisfying progress when they actively do the work outside the therapy session, notwithstanding the “scraped knees” it took to get there.

The goal of a therapist is to move you through the stages of change quickly, responsibly, and effectively. In other words, our goal is to make ourselves obsolete in your life as soon as possible. Finally, asking for help does not make you defective or weird. You may be surprised that many people held in high esteem in communities often benefit from therapy themselves. Asking for help is a sure sign of inner strength. As therapists, we love to help you tap into that inner strength and to free yourself from pain.