Top 10 Myths about Therapy, Counseling & Psychotherapy

You know you need help, but you’ve never been to counseling before. It’s so overwhelming and you’re not sure it’s right for you.

As a relationship and anxiety therapist, I know that people thinking about “going to therapy” can be stressful, intimidating, and confusing.

In order to help ya out, I’ve compiled a list of the most common myths surrounding counseling and the truth behind them.

10 Common Therapy Myths

1. "I've tried getting counseling in the past and it didn't work. It won't work for me now."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this from people. They've had a negative, past experience with therapy/therapist, and now feel that it "won't work".

The truth is that finding the right therapist for you is kinda like shoe shopping.

Seriously--- you need to find the best fit; the best match for you.

It's not unusual for me to hear that a client has seen 2, 3, or more counselors prior to working with me. Psychotherapists differ with their approach, personality, and specialties, to name a few. You may have to "shop around" for the best therapist who meets your unique needs. So, for anyone who has sworn off counseling due to a bad, past experience, I encourage you to try again and shop around.

2. "The therapist will just nod, and ask me 'How does that make you feel?"

This is also a common misunderstanding thanks to poorly done TV shows representing stereotypical counseling sessions. While there will be times when your therapist asks about your perspective and feelings, therapy is way more than just a therapist sitting silently, taking notes, and responding to you in this manner.

If this has been your experience, you should probably find another counselor.

3. "Counseling is only for people who are weak/have a mental illness."

Totally not true!

Yes, counseling is helpful for people who suffer from mental illness. It can also be beneficial for those of you who are under a lot of stress, desire more personal insight, or need help with a relationship.

In addition, it actually takes strength to ask for assistance when life's path takes an unexpected turn and you want the additional support.

4. "I can just talk to my friend/family member. I don't need to pay someone to just listen to my problems."

Having an awesome support system of friends and family is absolutely important. However, they are not specially trained and licensed mental health clinicians.

Psychotherapists will provide objective, unbiased views of your situation, help you gain understanding/insight into the root of your concerns, and establish effective strategies to help you reach your treatment goals.

5. "I'll have to lay on a couch and have my dreams interpreted."

There are a few approaches that do include dream interpretation, most famously introduced by Sigmund Freud and called psychoanalysis. However, there are many approaches therapists/counselors endorse- some of which include focusing on: the past, the present ("here and now"), how thinking patterns influence behavior and feelings, making behavioral changes, gaining understanding, treating the family unit, group therapy, and solutions-based, to name a few.

Most counselors tend to pull techniques and strategies from various approaches which they feel have been helpful and refer to their approach as "eclectic".

6. "The therapist will tell me how to fix my problems. Counselors are just going to give me advice".

Oh, how I wish I had a magic wand to solve everyone's specific issues (including my own)!

While there will be times when counselors will provide specific feedback, that is not the way psychotherapy, therapy or counseling works.

Most counselors and therapists will work with you to help you reach your goals. This usually means helping you help yourself, not solving your problems for you.

7. "I'm not going to talk to a stranger about my issues. People will think I'm crazy."

Actually, when you work with a therapist, that therapist is specially trained and has hours of experience. As mentioned above, friends and family are needed support systems; however, they come with an inherent internal bias. That's one reason why we as psychotherapists don't provide counseling to our friends and family- we just can't be completely objective.

I'd like to stress that coming in for therapy does not mean you're "crazy". You will probably find out that you’re definitely not the only person having to deal with your particular problem.

8. "I don't want to feel judged, interrogated, or shamed."

We can thank some popular TV shows for this common myth about counseling. Approaches, particularly involving the treatment of addiction, are known for confronting clients; however, the aim of therapy is certainly not to elicit shame.

When I work with clients, I may challenge them to think about a situation differently. I just don't believe that shaming, judging, or interrogating a client will produce desired results, and certainly won't foster a trusting, therapeutic relationship. In fact, most mental health clinicians feel the same way.

9. "I can't afford to go to therapy".

Going for counseling is an investment in your well-being; an investment with long-term benefits. If you think about all of the money you may spend on "stuff" and "things" to help you feel better, those superficial and material "things" may only help you in the short term.

It's so important to remember that therapy is an investment that will enhance your life and relationships with others- these are aspects that will be of long-term benefits.

10. "Therapists will be able to know what I'm thinking. I don't want someone reading my mind."

This is probably one of my favorites. Oh, how I've longed for the ability to mind read...

In all seriousness, mental health counselors and therapists are trained to observe and understand behavior. They then are able to make interpretations based on that behavior. That does not mean, we can "get inside your mind."

I hope that this post helps to alleviate some of the confusion about counseling and therapy.

Relationship & Anxiety Therapy

As a DBT Therapist, I specialize in helping people who are anxious, struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder, or have experienced trauma. To learn more about how I help, click here.

If you’re looking for DBT therapy in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, York, Lebanon, or Lancaster, PA, reach out today.

I offer 15-minute phone or video consultation for DBT therapy and counseling. Call me or go here to book your own therapy consultation.