What is therapy and how does it 'work'?

Considering therapy? Or just trying to understand how it all works?

Starting therapy can feel intimidating, especially if you’re not sure what to expect. Here’s a breakdown of how the process generally works to help ease any concerns.

Let me also be clear. For the purposes of this article and for simplicity, when I refer to therapy, I do not mean only psychologists, psychiatrists, and clinical social worker. I use the term loosely to include peer-to-peer coaching groups or 1 to 1 coaching support, life coaching, text-base counselors, short term crisis counselors, and so much more! There are so many beautiful people and organizations who have built a variety of "starting points" to allow people to speak to someone outside of their day-to-day. These experts and professionals have dedicated much time to provide tools for #healing, #growth, and often a lot of #selfawareness.

As a child who grew up in a family who faces chronic depression, a divorcing home, having experienced trauma in my early 30's with an aftermath of anxiety and depression, and more, I can tell you 100% that this work is hard! Being #vulnerable, facing your past, uncovering your "T"ruth, sharing the ugly parts of life, and also celebrating the wins, recognizing your #growth, slowly setting down the weights you've carried for so long, is all work.

You've heard the saying, "choose your hard." Welp, what hard are you choosing today?

Ok, let's get started.

First of all, starting therapy doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It’s simply a space to take care of your #mentalhealth, similar to how we care for our physical health. 1 in 5 US adults have a mental health condition. (NAMI.org) The journey may be challenging, but it can also be incredibly empowering and rewarding. Regardless who you are working with, their time with you is confidential! Unless you are under 18 years of age, your session is a safe space, just between you two.

Also, there is no “right” way to do therapy. Therapy is a flexible process where you go at your own pace. Your therapist is there to guide you, not to judge or force you into talking about anything you’re not ready to address.?

1. Finding the Right Therapist: The first step is finding a therapist you feel comfortable with. It’s okay to “shop around” and even meet with a couple of therapists to find the right fit. Many therapists offer brief introductory calls to discuss their approach and answer any questions.?You can absolutely interview them as they are learning about you. Google: "What 5-10 questions should I ask my therapist before we start?" You will get some great resources to help you out.

2. The First Session: This is often called an “intake session,” and your therapist will ask questions about your background, current challenges, and goals for therapy. It’s a chance to share whatever you feel comfortable with, and there’s no pressure to reveal everything right away. This first session is primarily about getting to know each other.?It may feel a little structured or "sterile." It's ok , they are working to establish a bit of a baseline.

3. Setting Goals Together: Therapy is a collaborative process! You and your therapist will work together to set goals and determine what you’d like to achieve. These goals can absolutely shift as you go! Goals could be anything from reducing anxiety to improving relationships or even gaining a better understanding of yourself.?

4. Regular Sessions and Progress: After the initial session, you’ll start having regular sessions (often weekly or biweekly in the beginning). Each session can look different based on your needs and goals. Sometimes, you might talk about immediate struggles; other times, you may explore deeper patterns or experiences.?

5. When are you "done"?: This is a tough one & up to you and/or your therapist. Sometimes you started the support for a specific situation that you feel you have overcome. Other times, therapy is used to work through deep seeded challenges from our upbringing. While even other times you outgrow your therapist and need to take on life with fresh eyes (and ears). Just like with starting, ending therapy is not an exact science either. What I do recommend, (and to reiterate) do not quit because it's hard.

I wish you, your family and your network all the best. If this article helped you in some way, please #share it. My hope and my passion is to help break down the walls and #stigma of mental health. Educating on the general process of accessing care is something we don't do much of. We are better about share resources, and talk about why you should get help and that you're not alone. Keep going! This is all critical to #normalize mental health care, keep driving this mission forward!

You are Brave. You are Strong. You are Loved.

Be kind.

Jenny