3 common questions before starting thearpy

Are my problems significant enough to see a therapist?

A widely held belief is that psychotherapy is reserved for those who are experiencing serious hardship. This is entirely false. Psychotherapy is a space for whatever you need it to be; whether that’s a bit of open-ended self-exploration, to work through serious hardship, or anything in between.

Due to the stigma with seeing a therapist, I too frequently see people whose problems started many years ago. By the time someone with this experience comes into my office, what might of been a straightforward problem is now incredibly complex and deeply rooted into their self-concept.

I recognize there are too many barriers that exist in receiving mental health care; I also recognize how important it is to receive mental health care at the appropriate time. I encourage catching the problem before it roots itself deep into the mind and body.

Even if you’re unsure whether the problem you experience is significant enough to see a therapist, if you have the means, 1-3 sessions exploring the problem could lend a great bit of insight into the nature of your experience.

What if I don’t know what to talk about?

Over the past 7 years, I have met with many clients—all of whom have had a different approach to showing up in psychotherapy. Some clients will readily share their experience, whereas other clients are reticent—the latter I especially see in my work with teen boys.

My exposure to this wide range in clientele has equipped me with the skillset necessary to make the appropriate adjustment to how a client shows up. Whether you readily articulate your experience or not, my role is to facilitate the conversation in whatever manner you want me to.

Here’s an example: I hold in mind the individualized treatment plan co-created from the start and then present a menu of items each session. I continually integrated discussions back into the individualize treatment plan and update the menu from session-to-session.

Is it normal to be worried about starting therapy?

Feeling worried is normal. If you have not seen a therapist before, it’s likely you haven’t spent much time confronting your feelings, let alone disclosed them to another—especially to a complete stranger.

A sense of shame or embarrassment adds to this worry, as does the belief that you may not know how or where to start; a worry that can make starting therapy even more challenging than it already is.

In my experience, I so often hear, within the first 1-3 sessions, my clients share how much of a relief it is to confide in someone who’s not only impartial but also actively listening to them. These same people also often make the remark that there was no need to be worried in the first place.

Next steps…

Obviously there are many more questions I have not included here. I invite you to contact me and ask your question. I would be happy to answer as well as I can.