Why should I try therapy?
Therapy won’t work for me.
How often have you thought this or something similar? Whether you’ve had a bad experience with therapists in the past, feel like there’s no time in your schedule, don’t believe in therapy, or are worried about the stigma, I ask that you try to keep an open mind throughout this article.
Therapy is hard. It takes a lot emotionally and can have ripple effects in your life both good and bad. As you heal and change old patterns, you might find yourself having uncomfortable conversations with people in your life or wanting to change jobs, or creating new boundaries with friends. It will be hard, but it can also give you long-term peace.
But what if therapy has never worked before? Therapy takes time from finding the right therapist to actually doing the work. Therapists are also human. We are not the perfect fit for everyone. I also know that is frustrating. Once you decide to start therapy, you want to pick one, start soon, and get results. When you don’t click with your therapist this can leave you feeling like it is pointless. Don’t give up hope. It is frustrating to seek multiple consultations, but the payoff is worth it.
Now you have the therapist you want, but that means you have to make time for therapy and doing the work outside of sessions. It’s so easy to find a million and one reasons why you’re too busy. This is where it’s important to keep in mind why you sought therapy to begin with. AND think about how worth it the effort will be when the life you’ve visualized wanting becomes reality.
This article won’t fix your schedule or change past experiences with therapy. But maybe it can help you remember why you wanted to try therapy and give you some hope that a therapist you click with exists. It’s ok to meet your perfect therapist right away and it is equally ok (just maybe more frustrating) to have to go through multiple to find the right fit.
In the end, though, you deserve healing and support. It might take time, but you are so worth the investment. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
