There are a number of myths and misconceptions about psychotherapy that prevent people from seeking psychotherapeutic services, or give them the wrong idea about psychotherapy. Through this post, I aim to clarify some of these misconceptions
- Only people with severe mental illness go to psychotherapy.
People seek psychotherapeutic services for a variety of reasons. While people with severe mental illness do benefit from it, others utilize psychotherapy to help them cope with major life transitions (like losing a job, or divorce), balancing personal and professional lives, improving relationships, or managing the numerous stressors of everyday life.
- Talking to a psychotherapist is like talking to a friend.
While it is extremely important to have a support network to talk to and rely on, psychotherapists have years of specialized training and education that assist them in understanding problems that might be complex. They are trained to objectively recognize patterns in thought and behaviour that a friend or family member might not notice. Confidentiality is also an added benefit of talking to a psychotherapist. One can be certain that his or her therapist will not disclose information discussed in a session (unless there is a concern for safety of self and others).
- Psychotherapists will “fix you”.
Clients need to be an active participant for psychotherapy to work. While psychotherapists are experts in identifying patterns in human thought and behaviour, the client is an expert when it comes to his or her own life experiences. This expertise is essential for psychotherapy to benefit you. Psychotherapists play the role of a facilitator, helping you along the path of self exploration in order to gain insight into the nature of your problem and how to solve it.
- Seeking psychotherapeutic services is a sign of weakness.
People often put off seeking professional help, because seeking psychotherapeutic services is seen as a sign of weakness. They believe that if they manage their problems independently they will be perceived to be strong. However, this does more harm in the long run. Additionally, seeking professional help displays a great deal of courage, because it is very difficult to decide to explore one’s feelings rather than suppress them.
- I will become dependent on the therapist.
The goal of psychotherapy is to help the client become independent. A psychotherapist’s role is to assist the client in understanding why they feel the way they do and help them develop skills to be able to respond productively to distressing situations and problems. This helps the client become more independent and self-aware.