Starting therapy- whether for the first time or the fifth time- is always a little bit scary. What will the new therapist be like? Will I like them? Will they like me? The questions are endless and often create easy excuses to cancel that first appointment.
I hope this Flashback Friday post will remind us all that the potential benefits outweigh the worries when it comes to therapy.
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I found this guide and thought it would be a good one to share with all of you. These are five things that I think I’ve heard at least one client in my life talk about as being a concern. It’s only natural to worry and have questions about the process of therapy but I think PsychCentral does a nice job of explaining why these things are normal but unnecessary to worry about.
What do you think? Are there times when these somewhat mundane issues are important to “worry about”? What do you do or do you suggest clients do when these kinds of issues arise? At the start of the first session with any client I always say that if there are any concerns over the course of therapy, no matter how small, please share with me. So while I think that the article makes some great points about why you can let some things go, I still think that part of building a great therapeutic relationship is being able to talk about your worries- no matter how small.
Here’s an excerpt, please click the link at the bottom to visit PsycCentral and read the full article. Its well worth it.
1. My therapist is judging me.
A lot of patients spend a lot of time worrying about what their therapist must think of them. That’s because you spend a lot of time sharing deep, emotional and personal stuff in therapy. Some of it may be embarrassing, or some of it may simply be out of the mainstream. Some of it may be things that happened to you as a child, that you had no control of. No matter what it is, you shouldn’t worry that your therapist is judging you. Believe it or not, most psychotherapists have seen and heard a lot of things in their careers. No matter what your story may be, it’s likely they’ve heard or seen worse.
One of the responsibilities and skills of a good therapist is to remain nonjudgmental, no matter their own personal reactions or feelings. Therapists who act or talk in a judgmental manner should be avoided.
2. Sometimes I just don’t know what to say or talk about.
You’re not alone. Virtually anyone who’s tried therapy has experienced a session where they feel hard pressed to come up with a topic to discuss. Some people — and some therapists — try and fill the void with small talk, or socializing. While this is fine if it happens on occasion, it should never be the focus of an entire session (or any significant portion of a session). Read the full article on PsychCentral here…