There are many myths about therapy but the top 3 myths about therapy that I hear have to do with the main idea that people are “sick” and “need help”. I come from a wellness perspective that assumes that you don’t “need” therapy, you “want” therapy to use it as a tool to make positive changes in your life.
So let’s get right to it. When you think of the top 3 myths about therapy do they sound something like this?
Myth: Needing therapy means that there is something fundamentally wrong with me.
Truth: There is nothing fundamentally wrong with you. We learn how to cope in our environment and we have great tools that work and some tools that really don’t work or are detrimental to our lives. The coaching counseling style that I use, helps you to change the negative coping skills and capitalize on your positive skills and ability to learn new skills.
Myth: Therapy lasts a long time
Truth: In reality, if you are ready to take action in your life, therapy can be a relatively short process. You can learn new tools and skills immediately. Many people see concrete results in as little as 12 weeks.
Myth: Therapy is about complaining about my past
Truth: While some therapies encourage you to explore the past, my coaching counseling approach in therapy is present, future/goal focused. We do need to understand the issues that have happened but for information purposes only. You have to “name it” to “claim it” and then make concrete changes.
When we get busy, we get better! Busting through the top 3 myths about therapy and understanding that it really is a process of learning new skills and tools, can make all the difference in you making concrete changes in your life. Rather than judge yourself for “going to therapy” try reframing it as one way to change your life for the better.
If you would like to learn more about debunking the myths of therapy, give me a call today at my San Diego office, for a free 15 minute consultation so see if the action oriented, coaching counseling style to therapy that I use would be a fit for you! 619-687-9013