Things I Wish I Had Known Before Starting Therapy

1. Do your research

• Take your time to look into what specializations each therapist offers (ex. depression, LGBTQA2+, divorce)

• Figure out what their fees are, whether your health insurance will cover you, and if they have a tiered system which may allow you to see a qualifying psychotherapist for a smaller fee

• Listen to your gut! Looking at their profile pictures, you can feel whom you might connect more to

• ALSO: take advantage of the free consultation session that most therapists offer! This will allow you to ask important questions, they can figure out whether they are suitable to help you, and you can see whether you think you’ll “click” with them

2. Be patient

• While it is such a huge step to want to seek external help, it may not work right away

• Try to release those high expectations you have for the first session

• Therapy is a marathon, not a sprint

• It might take time for you to be comfortable enough with your therapist to really get into the deep stuff - that’s okay! Applying what you learn in therapy, to your everyday life, will take time too!

3. You won’t have huge breakthroughs every time

• That doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong

• That doesn’t mean the therapy isn’t “working”

• That doesn’t mean your therapist is doing something wrong

• Some sessions might be earth-shattering, and others may feel like you’re not getting anywhere

• This is part of the process

4. It’s okay to see a new therapist

• Sometimes a therapist just isn’t the right fit for you… you don’t have to keep seeing them!

• They want you to heal, whether it’s with them or with another therapist

• It’s okay to switch to a new one

5. Some people will be weird about it

• Some people have stigmatizing beliefs about therapy that are misinformed

• It sucks when they project that onto you

• That doesn’t mean therapy is wrong!

• Sometimes a conversation about therapy will help them understand, other times it’s better to just set boundaries and keep doing what you feel is right for you!

Remember;

• Therapy is a helping hand - you are the one that has to do the walking

• Take it seriously and show up for yourself and for your healing

• It won’t be easy but it will be worth it

• There is no timeline

• Needing to ask for help again, after you thought you had finished therapy, is okay too

• Therapy is not one-size-fits all

• It will get worse before it will get better <3 uncovering painful memories and truths will feel exhausting and hard

• It’s okay to take a break from therapy - you don’t have to spend every moment in your life “fixing yourself”

• It’s okay to want a therapist of a certain sexuality, race, gender, etc. It can be nice to have someone who relates to your specific experiences without you having to explain it

• Therapists don’t have the answers you are looking for, they help you to find your own answers
  

Take care of yourself <3