New to Therapy? Start Here.
Why do people come to therapy?
People come to therapy for all sorts of reasons. Usually, they don’t feel as if they’re as happy as they can be, they’re troubled by things in their past, or they find themselves unable to be the person they wish to be in their relationships, work, or life.
But, what exactly is therapy?
Therapy, which is sometimes called counseling, is a regularly scheduled meeting (usually weekly) in which the therapist serves as a bit of a guide for the client(s) on their path toward mental wellness. Because everyone comes to therapy looking for something different, you and your therapist will collaborate to decide what your path moving forward can, or should, look like.OK, sounds good, but what is mental wellness? Mental wellness is the ability to cope with the normal stresses of everyday life; it is a feeling of not only being able to deal with the struggles you face today, but of finding peace with the struggles of your past.
OK, I think I understand but what will we do in therapy?
Well, to be honest, it depends. Sometimes therapy involves simply talking. Your therapist might guide you to discuss things that need to be sorted through. In their presence, you will not only feel supported and understood but you will begin to better understand yourself in the process. From that understanding, you will develop a greater sense of choice in how you respond to the world, and the people in your world. Therapy can also involve play, art, dance and movement, or talking about how your body feels on a sensory or emotional level. Therapy can involve just one person (individual) or might involve multiple people (like in couples’ therapy or family therapy). In therapy where there is more than one person, the therapist serves like a guide and mediator, helping you not only understand the patterns that are keeping you from feeling better together, but inviting you to change those patterns, often by practicing new ways of being in the therapy room.
Therapy or counseling?
Which do I need? Therapy is an exploratory process in which you and your therapist will, basically, unpack, sort, and repack your baggage. Therapy is typically something you enter into and the process may last for a long time. Therapy is great for those people who are really looking to shift out of old patterns that are no longer serving them, or for those who are looking to heal from old wounds of trauma, grief, loss, or suffering. Counseling, while similar to therapy, often focuses a bit more on the here and now and is a space for people to explore dilemmas in their relationships, work, or within themselves that they would like to manage better, feel better about, or struggle with less. Both therapy and counseling typically involve meeting regularly (often weekly, though sometimes more, sometimes less) and are designed to be private spaces for you to talk about things you don’t normally get to talk about. Your therapist or counselor shows up for you. They keep everything you say a secret (yes, even in a small town) and follow your lead, working with you to set goals and get clear on the path you want to be on. The client-therapist relationship is unique. You won’t have to worry about your therapist, in fact, you may not ever know very much about them. We keep things this way so that when you come to therapy - which is a financial and time commitment you’re making to yourself, you can dig into the things you want to explore, understand, and change and not have to worry about anyone else. It’s like spa day, for your mind. Simply stated: therapy is an hour of ‘you time’, every week, where you get support, a great ear, and occasionally some skillful direction or guidance. Who wouldn’t want that?
I think I do want that, so what do I do next?
Click services to choose your own adventure and get in touch with us once you’ve decided what sort of help you want and / or who you want it with!
