Myths of Going To Therapy
Myths About Therapy
That therapy is only for intense and severe issues such as PTSD, trauma, suicide, self harm, bipolar disorder, psychosis, eating disorders, substance misuse, etc.
Therapy can be for growth, learning, and general care and wellness
That you will be judged for your decision and choices
Therapists are trained to suspend judgement and help you with whatever choices you make
That therapy will “fix” you in several sessions
Therapy is not a “fix” per se because you are not broken
That therapy is like the medical model
Unlike the medical model, psychological well being and mental health is hard to physically see and measure
That your therapist will solve your problems for you or give you answers
Therapy requires active collaboration from both therapist and client
It is a two way street and relationship
That you’ll lay on a couch the entire session
There are over 30-40 types of psychotherapy approaches available
That you’ll spend the entire session talking with no guidance
Effective therapy offers guidance and support
That there is only one type of therapy approach/model available
There are over 30-40 types of psychotherapy approaches available
That you need to talk about your childhood
Some forms of therapy do not focus on the past, but the present
That all therapists can prescribe medication
Therapists do not and cannot prescribe medication
Doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants prescribe medications
That you are required to take medication
You are not required to take medication
You have choice and agency to choose what you would like to do
That therapy will take X amount of years/months
It depends
There are studies done for the general population that overall, therapy works for
That you can’t see results or symptom reduction in a few sessions
Effective therapy
That you will feel better after every session
Not all sessions will result in pleasant or comfortable feelings
That there are no risks to therapy
There are indeed risks to therapy
Risks can include:
Discussing and resolving unpleasant events can cause intense feelings of discomfort such as fear, anger, depression, and frustration;
An increase in conflict and tension; and
Changes and conflict in your relationships you had not originally intended.
That it will help everyone
For some people, therapy is ineffective.
At worst, for some people, therapy is harmful and contributes more to stressors and an increase in negative symptoms.
This is why it’s important to do your own research, learn about different therapy models, try therapy out for 1-2 sessions, and determine if it’s a good fit for your needs or if you require something else (e.g. coaching, support group, medication, etc.), or that therapy isn’t useful/appropriate for you at this time.
That therapy is not confidential
Therapy is confidential, but there are limits to confidentiality
Some exceptions to confidentiality are the following situations in which a therapist may choose to, or be required to, disclose this information:
If you give the therapist written consent to have the information released to another party;
In the case of your death or disability the therapist will disclose information to your personal representative;
If you waive confidentiality by bringing legal action against the therapist;
In response to a valid subpoena from a court or from the secretary of the Washington State Department of Health for records related to a complaint, report, or investigation;
If the therapist reasonably believes that disclosure of confidential information will avoid or minimize an imminent danger to your health or safety, the health or safety of any other individual, or if you conduct yourself in a manner in which there is a substantial risk of incurring serious bodily harm;
If the therapist has any other legal duty, obligation, or right to report.
That all therapists will be a good fit for your and your needs/wants
There are so many different factors at play including: personality, cultural values, approach/therapy type, etc.
That you will be given homework in between sessions
Some therapists do not assign or give homework
That anybody can go to therapy
It requires time, money, and effort
It often works best when there is physical safety at home and the client has a safe place to live
That attending therapy is easy and straightforward
Therapy is contextual and complex based on a variety of factors including: the therapeutic alliance, relationship between you and your therapist, therapy approach, client factors, etc.
Myths About Therapists
That we are all psychoanalyzing others outside of our work
That therapists are all mentally and psychologically healthy
That therapists don’t have their own problems/issues/concerns
That therapists must have and practice consistent healthy communication skills and assertive boundaries
That good enough therapists just listen to clients without other interventions/skills
That our jobs are emotionally and psychologically “easy”
Things You Should Know
Therapist client fit is important toward positive and effective treatment success and outcomes
Therapy won’t help everyone, but will help most people
There are over 30 types of therapy modalities/approaches available
Therapy is confidential, but there are limits
The limits to therapy include: 1) Intent of harm to oneself or others (suicide and homicide), 2) Knowledge of child abuse, and 3) Knowledge of elder abuse.