Ten Insights I Wish I Had Known Before Beginning Therapy

4 Mar

Written By Jackielyn Powell

The therapist is not the expert of your life, and they cannot read your mind, no matter how much you might wish they could. Ultimately, no one knows you better than yourself, and it is important to remember that the therapist can only work with what is presented in the room during your sessions. If there is a specific issue or topic that you want to focus on, it is essential to bring it up with them directly; do not expect them to just instinctively know what you would like to discuss.
Therapy is not the type of talk that resembles a typical social situation or casual conversation, and you might find it feels quite unusual to realize that you have someone’s full, undivided attention for an entire hour. And yes, it’s important to emphasize that it is actually confidential!
You may find yourself thinking that there is not much else to talk about or that there isn’t enough going on in your life to continue after the third or fourth session. However, please keep in mind that continuing your sessions is valuable; you are likely to uncover most of your deeper insights about yourself and your life during moments when you are not in a heightened or crisis state.
Yes, you can definitely schedule your therapy session during your lunch break at work. But ideally, you should try to have at least 15 minutes to decompress before returning to work; activities like walking around the block or grabbing a cold or hot drink can really help in this regard.
Additionally, keeping a reflective journal can be beneficial, allowing you to dedicate just one minute to brain dump your thoughts immediately after your session.
It’s likely that you will be doing a lot of talking or even crying during your session, so it’s a good idea to hydrate by drinking plenty of water afterward.
Remember, you are absolutely allowed to cry during your therapy session. There is no need for you to project an image that you have your life perfectly together in front of your therapist, as they are not there to judge you.
If you find yourself in the middle of venting about something someone else did, and you suddenly realize that you were also in the wrong in that moment, do not hesitate to share that realization aloud. Doing so can significantly help you process any unhelpful behavioral patterns, ways of relating to others, and underlying beliefs you may hold.
I understand that you care deeply about your friends and want them to thrive as well, but please make sure to ask your therapist for a recommended referral before suggesting your friends see her. It is quite likely that you would later regret having your friends share the same therapist as you.
Keep in mind that your therapist does not think you’re a weirdo; in fact, she most likely cares about you, is genuinely invested in understanding your world and helping you to achieve the changes you want to make and looks forward to seeing you in each session.