Mental health problems have taken a toll on so many people. Therapy is a great way to deal with mental health issues, but not everyone is fully comfortable with getting started with the process. You may have something holding you back. Getting the answers to certain questions may help alleviate some fear you might have about going to therapy and get you going on the right track. Here are some things you need to know:

What Can You Expect from Therapy?

Mental health therapy is not a one-size-fits-all process. Therapy looks different for everyone. There are different therapists who have different methods different settings, and different approaches to healing mental health issues.

In general, your time at therapy is a time for you to talk. What you talk about is between you and your therapist. You might talk about the events of that day. You may open up about events in your past. You might also talk about your expectations for the future or what your plans are for the next few years.

The goal of therapy is to learn more about yourself and deal with inner issues within yourself that have built up over time. Your therapist will teach you how to cope with certain feelings and you will get tools that help you through times of distress. At the end of the session, you should feel more at peace, but that may not always happen. You may have to address issues more than once to fully heal. Therapy is a process and there is no one way to handle what you are going through.

What Can You Expect at Your First Session?

When you start therapy, the first session or two are for your therapist to get to know more about you. Your therapist may ask a lot of questions about your background, such as where you were raised, what type of household did you grow up in, if your parents divorced, and whether or not you have any siblings.

You may also talk about your personal life, such as your romantic relationships, your education, what you do for a living, your religious beliefs, and if you use drugs or drink alcohol.

In addition, your therapist may want to know who you spend your time with. They may ask about your social circle, what things you do for enjoyment, and who serve as your support system.

In addition, the therapist will talk about why you think you need therapy and what you want to get out of it. You will set goals and work each week to reach them. As you attend each session, you may revisit topics you discussed at previous sessions to find out if you have made any progress. If something is not working, you and your therapist will address it and come up with a new strategy.

Share