Do you have all you need to know in therapy? Therapy or to be specific, Psychological Therapy is a treatment for psychological distresses. It involves the dynamic between the client and the therapist to try out different techniques to improve psychological well-being. More importantly, it is a safe space to heal and talk about your worries and problems with a mental health professional.
However, many people have misconceptions about therapy. Some of them lack knowledge on what is therapy and the things it offers. Along with the mental health stigma, therapy has its own fair share of negative images in the lens of the public. As part of our celebration of World Mental Health Month, we aim to shed light on therapy. In this blog, we’re giving you 10 things that you need to know before you get your first therapy session.
The 10 Things I Need to Know in Therapy
The word “therapy” may not ring a bell to you. Maybe you have heard about it in shushes and low-pitched voices. It is no denying that mental healthcare is still frowned upon. But one of the things we can do as mental health professionals is to educate you about what are the things to know in therapy.
- Therapy is for everyone
A person who is willing to be their better selves can benefit from therapy. In therapy, you can learn how to regulate your emotions and encourage self-awareness. So no matter what walks of life you come from, therapy can help you. We have this notion that therapy is only for the disturbed ones, but it’s not. True, there are individualised treatments for them, but there’s also self-tailored treatment for you, too.
- Therapy improves personal relationships
Understanding our moods, emotions, and everyday behaviour can also help us understand other people. When we get to know how to put ourselves in another person’s shoes, we will know how to empathize with them. More precisely, we will know how to deal with them the correct way. It also teaches us how to manage anger and other negative emotions while dealing with people so we don’t end up hurting them.
- Therapy helps you deal with past traumas
A trauma is a response towards an undesirable incident that occured in a person life. To be specific, a trauma can be emotional or psychological. It can hinder you from pursuing happiness and impair quality of life. One of the common trauma-related conditions is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. People affected with this disorder are often recommended for recurring therapy to combat the breakdown episodes.
- Therapy is more of an individual work
To succeed in therapy, you must put the therapeutic techniques into use. Therapy involves the application of different psychological techniques to oneself. It’s true that there are other therapy formats that involve groups or a partner to share stories and practice techniques. But at the end of the day, your progress in therapy depends on you, not on your therapist. Remember, the therapist is there to guide you, and you must do your part.
- There are many types of therapy
Just as there are many psychologists who have created psychological theories, they have also curated their own kind of therapy, too. Like Sigmund Freud, the world-famous psychologist has constructed his psychoanalytic theory, in which some modern psychologists still practice it. Contemporary therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and other types of therapies utilized depending on the speciality of your psychologist.
- Therapists can be right or wrong about you
There is no perfect therapist. They’re not mindreaders nor psychics at most. Psychologists study human behavior but it doesn’t mean that there’s no room for human error especially in understanding the clients. A good therapist will ask you about your own opinion or perceptions of what he or she is saying about you. They also make time to educate themselves about the latest findings in psychology and therapy so they could assess you better.
- Anything you say on the therapy is confidential
A therapist should practical the code of ethics in practicing therapy to their clients. He or she listens to what you have to say whether it be embarrassing or not. Therapy is a safe space to share your burdens and work them out. However, there is a limit to the confidentiality that your therapist can uphold. When a client is trying to impose danger to himself or others, the therapist must take action to prevent further harm.
- Taking the courage to start therapy is often the hardest
When you’re making the decision to get yourself booked for a therapy session, it’s often a personal choice. People may encourage you to get therapy but it’s up to you if you allow yourself to do so. In therapy, you will sign an informed consent that you are interested in pursuing therapy and have the right to halt it when you want. Willingness to go to therapy takes every bit of courage because you’re improving yourself.
- Pursuing therapy takes commitment
If you’re done with your first few therapy sessions, you may feel like it’s tiring to show up and talk about your problems. The therapist may ask you about the techniques that he or she asked you to do that is working for you. Some would ask you to just talk while they process all the information you’re sharing and give feedback. Your therapist may say something that you don’t like to hear (but it’s for your own personal good) and you may feel like quitting therapy. It takes commitment to start and finish your therapy duration.
- Therapy is not for free
We get it that mental health services should be accessible to all. However, in most countries like the Philippines, funds for free mental health services for the public is little to none. That’s why psychologists who have their therapy practice charge a fee for their services. They earned their degrees, mastered their specialty of therapy, and continue to invest in resources that could hone their skills even more. This is why they need to be paid for their effort and knowledge in therapy.
MPsych Services: Your Mental Health Partner
We offer accesible online counselling or teletherapy to those who want to book their first therapy session. With our list of psychologists, you can select who you feel would help you the most. For bookings, visit this page.