Hello, welcome back! I’m so excited you are here with me today. In my last post, we approached therapy from a lens of not knowing what to say and addressed starting points for helping in the therapeutic process. In this next segment, I will continue with pointers around when you don’t know what to say in a therapy session and discuss how therapy is for everyone.

Let’s get started by talking about new life challenges. People who seek therapy; typically have something they want to address. Sometimes these situations are not resulting because of a problem. However, they have unidentified feelings or emotions that need attention. When new experiences occur in life such as childbirth, marriage, relocation, or divorce, this can create uncertainty or bring up new areas that need help understanding. Sometimes people can’t articulate the feelings going on inside; however, they can recognize that something is different.

Next, let’s talk about your thought life. Do you ever avoid troublesome thoughts and conflicts that occur inside your head? For example, this could be something you are ashamed of, something you think is silly to worry about, something you think is insignificant, or stupid. Thoughts like these happen to us all. What better place than therapy to bring up these thoughts and feelings? So many people think it’s not okay to have feelings or think a certain way. Let’s explore it in therapy together. It’s okay to think and feel.

In my time as a therapist, the question “What would you least like to talk about today” has been helpful. It gives me information about where the trouble is. Many times uncomfortable, painful, or difficult topics are avoided. In these cases, they tend to fester and get worse. Consider therapy a safe place; to talk about things you most want to avoid. 

Next, let’s talk about difficulties around opening up. Do you struggle with letting people in? If you have concerns about this area and don’t know the answers, bring it up to your therapist, there might be something to explore, such as attachment. Even if the topic is not addressed right at the moment because of discomfort, it is valuable to understand the barriers keeping you from opening up about a particular matter. Therapy is a safe place, and as a clinician, I desire to create a safe and non-judgmental space for you to be your true authentic self.

Next, let’s explore discomforts with therapy. As stated in my previous article, opening up to a stranger can be difficult and scary. It takes time to build trust. If you have trouble trusting your therapist, don’t be afraid to bring that up. Having these discussions help build foundations of trust which help you to open up more. I attempt to meet my clients where they are to build rapport. This helps cultivate a safe and secure environment in the process of being vulnerable enough to open up.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to explore these challenging topics. We covered lots of ground on life challenges, thought patterns, difficulties opening up, and discomforts with therapy. In closing, I would like to challenge you to make a difference in your life today by calling to get set up with a therapist. Remember we all have 24 hours in a day, and within that 24-hours, we choose what we do with that time. I would be happy to assist you in finding the right fit for a mental health practitioner.