What is Therapy

Welcome to my first blog post!

You may be reading this post because you are either uncertain exactly what therapy is all about or you are curious what my perspective is all about. Either way, I am glad you are interested enough to find out more.  

There are so many schools of thought about therapy, or psychotherapy, or talk therapy, or supportive counseling, or whatever term you want to attach to it.  Each mental health professional whether a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a psychoanalyst, a clinical social worker, a mental health professional, a marriage and family therapist, or a professional counselor (sorry if I left anyone out) will have their own definition and explanation depending on schooling, training, and therapeutic theories, models, and approaches they adopt.

From my training, schooling, and experience, therapy is a relationship-driven connection between the client and the therapist where the client discloses stories about their struggles and pain in an authentic, empathetic, and open conversation.  Through time and patience, the therapeutic relationship becomes the vehicle for corrective emotional and cognitive experiences.  Trust and presence create an atmosphere where sharing and discovery can occur.  

Depending on the therapeutic approach of the practitioner (therapist), a client may gain insight into solutions based on their previous ways of managing situations and overcoming challenges, or a client may learn about emotions and how to regulate and manage these in a productive way.  Therapy can introduce clients to understanding their thoughts and how these may challenge them and then learn to challenge them back and reframe their thoughts into more balanced and helpful ways.  Basically, what I am saying is that therapy can help clients understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, identify their strengths, and introduce them to ways of improving and managing these differently so that life is more peaceful and supportive.

Therapy should not be damaging, punitive, judgmental, or aggressive.  It is accepting you where you are and helping you create where you want to go.  It is about offering ongoing guidance and comfort during times of great despair and uncertainty.  It is about sitting across from suffering and being able to embrace with positive statements and empathetic presence.  It is about genuinely caring about the person who sits before you, whether online or in person, and letting them matter.  It is about being curious about yourself as a therapist and person and the client's story.  It is recognizing that the client is actually the bearer of all the answers and needs the therapist to find the key.

So, what is therapy?  It is many different things and can be a dynamic, life changing, and pivotal experience for anyone who gives it a go.  Finding the right connection with the therapist is really what can make the difference.

I encourage you to take the leap and insert yourself in therapy for the goal of discovering and elevating the best version of you!