The Top 10 Truths about Counseling, Psychotherapy & Therapy in Dublin, CA

While the stigma about mental health support has lessened over the years, plenty of myths about therapy abound, particularly for people who have never experienced therapy.

Here’s what I wish people knew about therapy in the Bay Area:

1. Talking about things DOES help. 

   Spoiler alert, bottling up & stuffing down your emotions is not a long term solution. All those emotions won’t disappear, they’ll just come out sideways someday.

2. Vulnerability is your superpower, not your weakness.

   Brene brown says it best. Therapy offers you the space to practice embracing the power of your vulnerability.

3. Therapy is not forever.

   The best therapy has your goals & graduation in mind. I often tell prospective clients that if I do my job, eventually I’ll work myself out of a job.

4. Therapy helps equip you with tools to be your best self in super practical ways.

   In therapy you’ll gain tools for better self-care, to help express yourself, to cope with your feelings, to manage conflict better, get relationship coaching, gain communication skills, and how to respond to that tricky family situation.

5. You do the heavy lifting in therapy.

   Therapy requires work -  why pay $140 per week just to chit chat? It’s your job to show up, do the work & practice your new skills outside of session, your therapist will use their expertise to guide you along the way.

6. Therapy helps break generational cycles.

   You have the power to not only change your life but impact your family line. Therapy can help you break the cycles of dysfunction that have plagued your family for generations. One day your kids will go to therapy for different reasons than you are, and that’s progress.

7. Not all therapists are created equal.

   An excellent therapist that doesn’t fit your style isn’t an excellent therapist for you. The rapport between a therapist & client is so essential to the success of therapy, so do the leg work to find a therapist that you like & has the speciality to help you meet your goal. If you’ve had a poor experience in therapy before, finding a different therapist may offer you a completely different experience.

8. Sometimes you won’t like what you hear in counseling.

   It’s not your therapist’s job to always be on your side. Your therapist gets a unique perspective into your thought process, relationships, and patterns. Sometimes that means your therapist may give feedback about how you come across or how you contribute to a problem. That may sting, but that kind of feedback is so rare in our society. Lean into it and grow from it.

9. You don’t have to keep living in the yuck.

   We can grow accustomed to living with depression, anxiety, pervasive relationship problems, and trauma. But you don’t have to keep living that way. Therapy can offer tools to alleviate the pain, respond differently, form new relationship patterns, and work through trauma so it doesn’t hijack your life. Change is possible.

10. It’s never too late to find help.

    Call me an optimist, but I’m a big believer in humanity’s ability to grow & change, no matter how many years this has gone on. As a therapist, I get a front row seat to people’s amazing resilience & strength in overcoming challenges that felt insurmountable. It’s not too late for you either.

I hope this provide some hope about the power of therapy for you. If you are ready to reclaim your joy, reach out to schedule free 15 minute phone consultation to get started on your therapy journey in Dublin, CA. Also serving counseling clients throughout the Tri-Valley and east bay area, and online telehealth therapy throughout California.