There are so many misconceptions people have about therapy. Let's clear them up.
We’ve all heard someone say that therapy is just talking to people. However, it is more than talking. Doing therapy may seem like “just talking” to the untrained eye, but a lot of work goes into just one session.
Mental health professionals train to be ably attuned to their client’s emotional needs and to make individual treatment plans for each client. Therapists teach multiple skills or techniques that help clients improve their mental health. They have extensive knowledge of various mental health disorders.
There are so many misconceptions people have about therapy, like:
Therapy isn’t helpful. It doesn’t work for me.
Therapy is a collaborative process between you and a therapist. If therapy isn’t working, ask yourself if you’re doing the work outside of sessions. Also, you may need to work with a different mental health professional before giving up on the process.
Therapy is magic.
Therapists are mental health professionals trained in evidence-based practices that help them understand human behavior. They are not using any magic.
A therapist can never understand me.
Although they may not have the same experiences as their clients, therapists should be empathetic. They use empathy to relate to your underlying emotions so that they can validate your experiences. No one is more of an expert on you than yourself, but therapists can make sure you feel heard.
There are no therapists who look like me.
Choosing a therapist who shares identities with you can be a foundation for you to feel safe in sessions. Indeed, the mental health field is currently dominated by cis-white women because, historically, the medical and mental health systems have excluded minoritized groups. However, more and more minority-identified individuals are becoming therapists.
Don’t let the myths around therapy stop you from being on your healing journey! Everyone can benefit from working with a mental health professional.