Frequently asked questions about therapy

1.    Who can benefit from therapy?

Most anyone can benefit from therapy if you’re motivated to enter treatment. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis or a serious mental health concern in order to benefit from therapy. Therapy may take the form of preventative treatment during times of transition. Therapy can also be helpful in addressing everyday, human concerns that we can all have difficulty with such as job stress, relationship worries, self-criticism, or difficulties focusing. Therapy can also be beneficial during specific, challenging life events such as relocations, divorce, loss of family or friends, and job changes to name a few. 

2.    How does therapy differ from medication (psychopharmacological treatment)?

For many people, taking a pill once a day sounds like an easy option and a quick fix to problems- it would be nice if it were that easy! Emotional challenges can be complex and have multiple factors involved in creating and sustaining them. Unfortunately, medications will not be able to effectively address all of these factors. A pill cannot improve your relationships, it cannot help you to feel loved or trusting in others, and it cannot give you the answers to what will be satisfying and fulfilling to you in the life you’re living. Medications can help to improve certain symptoms that come with emotional distress, but they can also come with side effects. Medications can be useful for some people as an adjunct to therapy, and this decision would ideally be made under the advisement of a trusted medical doctor.

Therapy can take up time and it can be emotionally draining as negative or sometimes painful feelings can come up; however, this process can lead to long-lasting benefits and changes. Therapy can offer you the tools to better cope with life stressors and relationship problems as they continue to arise in the future. 

3.    What is the client's role in therapy?

You’ll only get out what you put into therapy. To make the most out of it, therapy requires ACTION on the part of the client. Therapy is not meant to passively “fix” you- a therapist can be seen as someone who will help facilitate you making the changes that are important to you in your life. To that end, therapy requires work outside the therapy office. You are responsible for putting into practice what you have learned during your therapy sessions. It is not the therapist’s role to tell you what to do; only you can make the changes you need and I like to believe that we have the best knowledge of our ourselves and our own needs. 

Therapy requires a commitment to treatment. Regular sessions are important, especially early on, to be able to see change. Many people who are hesitant about therapy may only attend sporadically, only to find themselves feeling frustrated and disappointed by their lack of progress. This will inevitably lead to drop out, and possibly a reluctance to ever pursue treatment again. If you find yourself skipping sessions or frequently arriving late, ask yourself what might be going on and what some of the mental blocks are for you. Ideally, you would share this with your therapy so the two of you could talk through these concerns to better understand what is getting in the way of treatment. 

Lastly, therapy requires patience. It takes time to make sustainable changes. Our experiences over a lifetime have shaped who we are today, so it is hard to expect to undo ingrained patterns and ways of being in 5 sessions. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself the time and space that it will take to address your concerns. 

4.    Common concerns about therapy

“I think I should be able to solve all my problems on my own.”

Everyone has blind spots when it comes to their own lives; including therapists- this is why many therapists seek out their own therapists. A therapist is a trained and experienced listener who can provide you with an outside perspective that your friends and family members will likely be unable to provide. The therapist will help you to be able to see your blind spots so that you can help yourself. 

“Therapy is only for crazy people.”

Quite the contrary- people that willingly seek out therapy have the courage and self-awareness to take steps to improve their lives and better themselves. People that seek therapy realize when they need some support (as we all do at times) and have the strength to ask for it.

“Therapy is indulgent and is unnecessary.”

Therapy is hard work; it should not be seen as pampering. It takes a lot of effort and can be challenging because it requires effort and motivation on the part of the client. It involves looking at yourself and your choices in an honest way and taking accountability for your actions. The therapist can help you with tools to make changes, but ultimately, the onus is on you.