RELATIONSHIPS
HERE ’ S A LOOK AT WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU SIGN UP TO SEE A THERAPIST
By Carrie Fleetwood M . Ed ., R . P .,
You ’ ve probably seen the Hollywood versions of psychotherapy such as ” Analyze This ” or “ What About Bob ?” Maybe you ’ ve watched the occasional Dr . Phil episode , or sat in with Tony Soprano as he visited his therapist .
But what ’ s psychotherapy really like ?
Perhaps your whole fascination with the therapists on the screen is not just because of the great acting . Has it hit closer to home ? This may be a result of you experiencing negative thought patterns or struggling to live up to your own values . Other causes of concern could be you noticing that you feel defeated and unable to move forward in your personal or professional life . Or you sense that there ’ s internal trauma which is starting to interfere with your peace of mind and ability to connect deeply with the ones you love .
Maybe you ’ ve secretly longed to have someone you could trust helping make sense of your story . But fear , embarrassment , shame or lack of funds has held you back . Recently your spouse has been asking you ( maybe even begging you ) to seek counseling . As a first responder or the partner of one , you know there is trauma lodged inside that ’ s starting to interfere with tension levels . Maybe you ’ ve been considering psychotherapy for a while now but don ’ t quite know where to begin .
How does it work ? What happens in therapy ?
There are a lot of unknowns for therapy first-timers and we all know that the unknown can be scary . No need to worry . It ’ s common to have some nervousness when trying anything new . Here ’ s the good news : when it comes to therapy , you ’ re in the driver ’ s seat .
You have many options . Start by asking your doctor for recommendations . Duration of sessions can be flexible , but a typical session is 50-55 mins . Weekly sessions are usually the best for making progress faster , but every two weeks can also be effective . Time and money can be factors that determine the frequency of your sessions . Fees can range from lowest ( seeing an intern ) to highest ( a therapist with decades of experience ).
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