Help What To Expect From Therapy?

[MidnightTrains]

So I signed up for counseling at my school and my first session is on Tuesday next week.

Kinda nervous... I don't know what to expect or how to prepare. If that's even necessary.
Have you found that it actually helps?

What kind of questions do they ask? Do they lead the conversation or is it on me to talk? I'm very reserved unless I'm specifically asked something.
I was very vague in the consultation and I obviously said no when they asked if I was suicidal.
I don't wanna say too much or too little.

I know I'm overthinking this lol
I just need advice and some reassurance maybe.

 

[wishingonstars]

All of that depends so much on the individual therapist and type of therapy. The first session they will lead the conversation and will likely either ask you or have you fill out forms to test for depression and anything else they might think you have.

I would say as far as preparation the only thing for the first session is I would ask what types of therapy they are trained in and then do a little research on the types so you have an idea what your options are (or message me as I have tried them all and am happy to answer questions)

For following sessions you don't have to prepare at all but it might be helpful to write down what topics you would like to work through during a session, but that's not helpful for everyone.

It'll be okay, if you don't like the therapist you don't have to go back. Taking the time to find someone good is really worth it. Also I would sort of test the waters a little to get an idea of how the therapist reacts to things but a good therapist you should be able to tell you are suicidal and they won't freak out. A school therapist might but I would try to be honest about things like self harm and maybe just say you aren't suicidal but want to just stop existing sometimes or something similar.

Today I told my therapist the only thing keeping me from killing myself was not having a reliable method available and she said that we could work with that, she is fantastic and always in my corner and does not freak out about suicidal ideation or self harm. She even said once that if she didn't think I could get better she wouldn't try to stop me from going (I forget the exact wording but along those lines) but she thinks I can and honestly she's the only person I would believe that from because she gets my pain. Which is all just to say there are some really amazing therapists out there if you look :)

 

[sanctionedusage]

a lot of bullshit from someone who grew up thinking of themselves as empathetic, a good person, "a healer," or otherwise sanctimonious without any personal experience in what you're about to tell them and no training that amounts to higher than what google's mental help popup could tell you.

self therapy is much better.

 

[Hollowman]

A whole lot of bs.

 

[Pluto]

 

[gottacheckout]

Therapy involves 2 (or more) people, rarely is the issue only with one of them. Often it is just a poor match. I know there are some bad therapists out there but there are also people that don't want to get better.

Fwiw I was the latter, I pushed back so hard I couldn't even hear what they were saying. Hey I'm just acknowledging and owning my problems.

 

[Bxtra]

Hi! I know it can be nerve-wracking to tell your problems to someone you've never met before. I've been through seven therapists since I was around eleven years old. I would sit in their offices for an hour and not talk at all unless I was asked. At the time, to me, they were snobs who just wanted a paycheck from my misery. They asked the same questions and i got tired of giving the same vague answers. Until I met the psychologist I'm with now and have been for the past four years. She started by explaining she'd read my (intensive) file and told her story. She's a refugee. She's had to struggle. She wasn't a snob. She understood where I was coming from. It's to the point now where we can just giggle at dog videos during sessions to help relieve my anxiety.

Prepare all you need to if it helps you feel calmer because it can be scary. Be prepared to not "click" with this therapist but remain open to the process anyway. It's worth it ten fold.

Every therapist is different. It's about finding someone that clicks with you. Stay strong, friend. You can do this!

 

[I Me & Myself]

It depends on the kind of therapy (there are differing major types, some more focused on redirecting your current actions and some more focused on exploring what causes these current/feelings and actions)

Usually your therapist will start a conversation with you, and will try to create an environment where you feel comfortable opening up. You'll likely set a goal for your therapy together.

I found that talking about stuff really helps, even if I don't always get the advice/reassurance I would like to hear in return. It heavily depends on your therapist, and your countrie's healthcare System.

What to expect? Ideally, therapy is a "safe" space for you to rant, vent, try to name feelings and behaviours and find a way to safely navigate them.

If you are worried you won't open up unless asked specifically tell that to your therapist, say you need them to ask specific questions. And if you don't want to open up yet ... Get to know your therapist first. They'll understand.

 

[orpheus_]

- The first few sessions will probably be about you two kinda getting to know each other. Do your "communication styles" match, do you understand each other? Do you share some common values? (you will probably not know much about personal life and worldview of a therapist as it's a part of their work ethics to not reveal much about themselves; but try to guess)

- If you don't feel like working with this person, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. It's just that not everyone's a "good match".

- It can take a while to be able to feel comfortable talking to a therapist, even more if you ever had trust issues/social anxiety. (I still don't feel completely comfortable talking to my therapist although I've been seeing her for almost a year and I think she's a good fit for me in general).

- It's fine if things take time and do not expect every session to be groundbreaking. Sometimes you might feel better afterwards or get to some conclusions... sometimes not, but that's still not wasted. Most of what it's about is just... Slowly realizing things about yourself, you know.

- you might not agree with everything they say. You might sometimes feel like they're getting things wrong, even if they're a "good match" for you. Treat it all as some "additional input" to the conclusions you might arrive to.

- they may make guesses about you: like suggest *why* you might be doing a certain thing, or that you think or feel a certain thing at the moment. These are just guesses and if you feel they are wrong, tell them. These are just suggestions for you to reflect on, not definitive "diagnoses"

- whether it's you or them who "leads" can differ. If you feel like they expect you to talk and you don't know what to say, just say that you don't know what to say.it's fine.

- I second the "ask about the type of therapy they're trained in" and read about it. You will get more info on what to expect and how likely is it to help you.