Why would I not want to go to a therapist?
‘I should be able to sort myself out.’
‘Why talk to a therapist when I can talk to my friends?’
‘How embarrassing is it to talk to a stranger about my problems!’
‘I am afraid of what I might find… I am ashamed of my dark secrets.’
‘I can’t afford it.’
‘Talking to a therapist could be opening a can of worms.’
Seeing a therapist, like any new experience, is a step into the unknown. However, by taking that first step, you may find great relief. Sharing your problems with a professional is different from talking to your friends as you can talk without fear of being a burden or being judged.
It can seem daunting to talk to a stranger. What can of worms may be opened? Well, there is usually a lid on a can of worms, and a therapist is very unlikely never to lift the lid further than you want it lifted. He or she is trained in sensing your needs and at going at a pace that feels comfortable to you.
There can be a fear about seeing a therapist which is connected with a fear of what we might find out about ourselves, or not knowing how it might change us. This very fear can keep us from exploring and discovering new ways of dealing with our problems. By sharing our fears we may gain perspective on them and are helped in making sense out of them. Dark secrets that are brought into the light become less frightening.
Yes, seeing a therapist is an expense. But, by spending money on yourself, you are making an investment in your emotional health. This investment can bring its own type of rewards, such as greater self-esteem and fulfilment. Perhaps you feel that you will be ‘locked’ into a commitment. Fees and the whole issue of money can be discussed at any time with your therapist.
Think what it might feel like to know that there is a quiet hour reserved just for you every week.
Imagine being able to talk freely with someone who listens to you with undivided attention; someone who you can trust to keep what you say confidential and who holds you in respect.
Challenge yourself to try something new. Who knows, by seeing a therapist you may discover that there is more to life than you thought possible.
One client recently said, ‘I never knew it could make such a difference to my life.’
