
The conversations surrounding mental health and therapy has changed a lot in the recent years – for the better. More people are becoming aware of the importance of mental health, and seeking therapy for mental health concerns is becoming more common and widely acceptable.
However, if you have never been to a mental health therapy session, you may still have your fears and uncertainties about it. What exactly goes on in a therapy session, and what is the purpose of going for therapy?
Let’s try to answer that in simple terms for you!
1. Therapy is for everyone
There used to be a belief that therapy is only for those who are seriously mentally ill. However, you don’t have to feel absolutely at your lowest to seek out therapy. Some people come to therapy to seek clarity in their direction in life, iron out relationship issues, or work on ways to cope with daily stress and anxieties. Life is filled with diverse circumstances that can affect our mental health – and you don’t need to be diagnosed with a mental illness to seek help.
2. Therapy is a process of growth
Therapy is not a magic pill that cures all your sadness, stress, and anxieties. Instead, therapy is usually a process of growth, discovery, and healing. Therapists cannot make your problems go away, but therapy sessions can help individuals learn alternative ways to see the problem, overcome it, or manage it.
This is a highly involved process where you – the person undergoing therapy – need to put in the work. The therapist is only a guide, and the actual growth comes from your own effort. There will be difficult conversations and difficult thoughts to face, but it is all part of the journey to work on the issues affecting you.
3. Therapy is a professional service
Is going to therapy like confiding in a friend and receiving comfort from them? Yes, but not really. Similar to talking to a trusted friend, therapy sessions are a safe space for you to share your honest thoughts. You may feel a range of emotions like relief or comfort to share these difficult feelings with someone else.
However, unlike a close friend, therapists are professionals. Therapy sessions are meant to focus solely on you and the issues you bring. Therapists use a variety of methods which are backed by research and years of practice, designed to help individuals manage and overcome specific mental health challenges.
4. Everyone’s therapy experience is different
Just like how everyone comes to therapy with different issues and concerns, your experience with therapy will also differ. As a person receiving therapy, it is your call as to what you want to achieve out of the therapy sessions. From there, your therapist will suggest or recommend suitable approaches to help you reach your desired goal.
Therapy sessions may look like having a chat with your therapist, or it may involve activities like reflective journalling, engaging in creative arts, sharing your experiences in a group therapy session, or exposure therapy.
Conclusion
You now have a general sense of what therapy is all about – we hope that this makes you feel assured about giving therapy a try if you are facing any concerns with your mental health.
Whether it is relationship issues or anxiety, our mental health counsellors at Being Counselling and Wellness welcome individuals with a diverse range of concerns and worries. If you are unsure where to begin to start mental health therapy, you may fill in our booking form and we will be happy to chat with you and arrange a session.