Possible Misconceptions About Therapy For Anxiety/ Depression and How To Combat It
If you yourself have started the process of therapy that is great! Therapy can be a healing and validating experience, but also a place where there will be a lot of work. One of the difficulties that can come with being in therapy can happen when we notice that others around us may also benefit from therapy but may be resistant to it. This article will talk more about this including some misconceptions about therapy and possible ways to bring it up in your own therapy. If you yourself are hesitant to therapy, this article might help you to identify why and see other perspectives about how therapy could help.
Misconceptions:
1.) Why would I need therapy when I can just talk to a good friend?
You might have heard others say this one or even have said this yourself at some point. Chances are if you are reading this you are curious about what therapy can offer and do for you. Friends can offer support and validation but they may not be trained mental health professionals (and if they are your friends can't be your therapist). A therapist is trained to help you identify unhealthy or maladaptive patterns that may be contributing to the distress in your life. Therapists are unbiased and don't engage in multiple relationships with the clients that they see. Therapists are mandated by law to not share information that is said unless there is harm or abuse involved. A friend isn’t held to standards that a therapist is held to nor are they able to be unbiased. A friend being well intentioned might try to give you advice but might not encourage you to work on yourself so that you wont need to take the advice of others to make decisions. A therapist won't tell you what to do, instead they encourage you to think for yourself. Therapists ask deep questions to help you come up with your own decision on matters.
2.) A therapist will try to “fix” me and analyze who I am as a person.
Your therapist or any therapist can help you navigate through hard symptoms, offer tools to help cope, and help bring awareness to things that you may not have noticed before. A therapist doesn't believe that a person needs to be “fixed.” If you come across a clinician that says so, they are probably not a good fit to receive services from. Many therapists come into the field because they themselves have or still experience difficulties with mental health. They go to school for 6-10 years, gain knowledge and experience in helping others because they want to be in the business of making others feel better. Therapists are nonjudgmental and work to help you to reach the goals that you have for yourself and for your life. They help to connect you to resources but they also do not claim to be the “be all end all” for your healing journey.
Possible Ways to Combat Misconceptions:
1.) Invite your family member or significant other to the therapy space if appropriate and after talking first with your therapist.
Some misconceptions arise due to a lack of understanding or knowledge about what therapy is like. Having a family member be a part of the process if helpful could reduce some stigma associated with it.
2.) Let them know about your experience with being in therapy. And if they still don't understand, know that you did your best.
It is not your job to change anyone's perceptions or misconceptions surrounding therapy. If you feel like others around you aren't trying to understand your experience or where you are coming from with therapy then that is on them. They don't have to understand for you to work on yourself and to work towards healing. Be proud of yourself for being brave and starting the work to get to where you want to be.
Click here for more information on depression therapy.