Until recently, people have been uncomfortable discussing therapy because of the stigma attached to it in our society. As a result, there are still some fairly big misconceptions about it.
These misconceptions may have even discouraged you from scheduling an appointment. Therapy has many benefits, and below are common misconceptions about therapy to help you feel at ease and hopefully, take that step to seek treatment.
“I don’t need therapy because I have friends and family.”
We can all agree that having a support system is important. However, your support system may not guarantee confidentiality, a non-judgmental approach and expertise in certain areas. You may also find that with informal support systems, you are not fully comfortable expressing how you feel to avoid offending others.
Fortunately, in therapy, which is a highly confidential and non-judgmental space, you don’t have to hide your true feelings. Your therapy sessions are totally focused on you. Not only can you feel free to air your feelings without fear of judgement, you are encouraged to do so as that aids the therapeutic process.
“I don’t need therapy because I don’t have serious issues.”
You don’t need to have a ‘serious’ issue before you consider therapy. There are multiple reasons to seek therapy, ranging from depression, anxiety, stressful home life or work-life, to dealing with relationship issues.
Therapists don’t assess your problems on the basis of “seriousness,”. If it bothers you enough to need help, then therapy is one way to go.
“I just want someone to tell me what to do.”
This is probably one of the most common misconceptions about therapy. I understand that when people feel hopeless about their issues, they want a solution right away. There’s something comforting about thinking someone else has the answer for you.
Therapy isn’t about having someone make decisions about your life. It’s about helping you find constructive ways to deal with issues you experience. Therapy will not automatically solve your problems, you also need to be a committed party to the process in and outside therapy sessions. This means taking your therapy action points seriously and working through them outside sessions
“Therapy is for weak people.”
This misconception is very popular and has been around for a long time. It’s interesting how easily people seek medical help for health-related problems but consider seeking help for emotional problems a sign of weakness.
Let’s be honest, it takes a lot of strength to face our problems and ask for help. So getting into therapy does not make you a weak person, rather it is an exhibition of your courage.
“Couples therapy is only for those heading for a divorce.”
Ironically, most couples come to therapy after waiting too long and serious damage has been done. Just like individual therapy, it’s always better to resolve issues before they get to a point where things feel hopeless.
Asides, helping to resolve major conflicts in the marriage, couples therapy can be useful for other issues such as communication problems, rekindling intimacy and passion in marriage.
You’ll start to Feel Better Immediately
Many people make the mistake of quitting when they don’t feel better after one or two sessions. Don’t think of therapy as a quick fix but a process that is unique to each individual.
Therapy may sometimes require that you relive unpleasant events in your life to help you work through them and that may not feel good at the time. Ultimately, sticking to the process will be helpful to you regardless of how it commences. The process won’t always feel good, but it will be worth the effort in the end.
“Is therapy really confidential?”
One of the ethics of the profession is CONFIDENTIALITY. In therapy, your Confidentiality is assured, however every therapist will tell you the limits to confidentiality, as there are limits dictated by the ethics of the profession.
Some limits to therapy include the following. If there is a risk of harm to the client, if there is a risk to others as a result of the client’s actions, If the therapist is required by law to produce client’s report or if the client authorizes the therapist to share information with someone else.
Seeking therapy may not be the easiest thing to do, however the benefits of therapy can help improve your quality of life.
If you would like to book a therapy session, please click HERE or send an email to info@olawunmiesan.com