Since the pandemic we have heard all about the importance of mental health and mental health support. What once was a very stigmatized is now trending and a highly discussed.
As someone who is biased (I am a therapist) taking care of your mental health and well-being is one of the best thing you can do!
Even though we are moving away from the stigma that surrounds mental health and mental health care I still hear a lot of misconceptions. Here are the top 5 that I hear regularly.
This is simply not true. People come to therapy for a number of different reasons. Some people do come with major problems and minor problems, other's don't have any problems at all, they just want to work on their wellbeing. Your reason for going to therapy is uniquely yours and if it's important to you it's important to your therapist.
2. Therapy Takes a Really Long Time to be Effective
This is not necessarily true. In every session you get the opportunity to work on something that brings you closer to achieving you goals. Sometimes you will notice a difference right away and it will have a huge impact on your life, other times it takes longer to notice a difference and the impact may be smaller. However long it takes or the size of the impact it's important to remember that if it's moving you towards your goals than it is effective and an important piece of your wellbeing.
3. Counselling Only Deals with the Past
100% Not true! Yes, we talk about your past as it is part of what makes you who you are. But we also talk about the present and the future!
4. A Therapist is Like a Paid Friend
I am not your friend. I care for you as a client and I want to see you succeed, but ultimately I am a trained professional with strict boundaries. My job is to help elicit change in your life and help you reach your therapeutic goals.
5. Therapy Will Never End
Therapy should come to an end! Therapist make flexible personalized treatment plans that include a beginning, middle and end. The plan helps guide the therapeutic process and prepare you for completing therapy. That's not to say you can never come back! When you feel like you need therapy or a check-in you can always go back to therapy, but it's important you are not dependant on therapy.
These are just some of the common mistonceptions I hear regularly. I know that there are hundreds if not thousands more out there.
What are some of the common misconceptions about therapy you have heard?
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