Suicide deaths and attempts are alarmingly increasing in number every year both in the youth and adult groups. In fact, research shows that it is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
In Dr. Nikki Martinez, Psy.D. blog, she says, “If you are struggling with low self-esteem, it is encouraged that you seek some type of help and support to work through this issue, and to help you be the best version of yourself that you can be.” Whether you are suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress maybe, getting help and counseling is probably the best thought you would think of every day. The first step of overcoming these mental problems is refraining from ignorance and denial that you are in need support.
However, even with the help of a trained and professional counselor, some barriers hinder the success of good counseling. The first success should not stop from you overcoming your fear of psychiatrists. Along the way, other subtle thoughts would make a promising therapy look ineffective.
- You Keep Thinking That Your Therapist Judges You
At the back of your mind, you keep having these thoughts that your therapist laughs at your problems and tells it to his/her colleagues. Because of this, you are still afraid to divulge your emotions, feelings, and everything you need to say to your therapist. But you need to understand that “Therapy offers you a safe place where you can say anything without being judged or criticized. Over time, people usually feel better and see their lives improving.” Dave Kaplowitz, LMFT, CGP said.
Therapists and counselors are well-trained professionals who have apparently heard a lot of stories from different people. All you need to do when you enter the room is to trust your counselor. Moreover, there is a law that penalizes therapists the moment they disclose any confidential information about a patient.
- You Think You Can Do This Even Without Help From Anybody
“I don’t need any professional help.”
“Why do I need a stranger? I can do this myself.”
These are the exact thoughts of people who reject the idea of having a therapist deal with their problems. You think that you know yourself better than anybody else.
This line of thinking will just put you into another state of ignorance. These thoughts may eventually be your ultimate reason to stop seeing a therapist when in fact, what they do is offer you another perspective, (something that most probably is new to you) to deal with your problems appropriately. As Dr. Mitch Keil, a clinical psychologist used to say, “It is a healing process that allows people to not only start feeling better but gain insight, awareness, and ultimately begin trusting their intuition and experience.”
- Your Expectations Are Way Far From Reality
One session will not work like magic. Stop thinking that you just need to mutter a few words then puff! It’s gone. This thought will just put yourself into one major disappointment and would even fill your mind with phrases such as Therapy doesn’t work.
Therapy doesn’t end in one session. In fact, you may not even feel better after the first session. Therapy is a process that will encourage you to open up to your therapist so he/she can give you the best solutions from a different and fresh perspective.
- You Think About The Social Stigma Of Counselling
One of the misconceptions about therapy-seeking people is that they were crazy, weak, and full of failures. In this generation, call for mental health laws and the emerging of support groups should be a sign that this is already an old stigma. There are lots of people that are not in serious mental condition who are seeking a therapist’s help.
To be effective, therapy requires you to build a trust relationship with your therapist. The secret recipe for successful counseling is your eagerness to heal. Learn to honestly share your feelings to your counselor in exchange for a better you.