“Hey Colleen, what exactly is therapy?”

You may be asking this question after reading several of my previous blogs. I sometimes forget how confusing I found this concept before I became a therapist myself. I reached out to try to navigate the system after college when I found myself depressed and unsatisfied with my life. I had gotten the degree I was supposed to get but it wasn’t much help so I settled for the first decent paying job to come my way. I was absolutely miserable but too scared to do anything about it. 

I didn’t understand who these people (therapists, counselors, psychiatrists) were or what all the letters after their names meant. I didn’t know if I needed group counseling because I had no idea what it was other than it sounded like something I definitely didn’t want to do. Let alone if I needed medication, all I could think about was, “Won’t that make me crazier?”. I had no idea if I needed to see someone individually, “Isn’t that only for super depressed people?” I am hopefully going to answer your questions in this blog. 

Q: So, what is therapy exactly? 

A: Therapy is a broad term that can mean a variety of things. Typically, it involves you reaching out to a provider, referral network, triage line, or some other service. They may ask you a variety of questions and schedule an appointment for you to come in for an assessment. This assessment varies depending on the provider or organization. Its typically a thorough assessment of your needs, symptoms, and goals. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3+ sessions depending on your needs and the providers’ preference and/or the specialty treatment modality you’re seeking. A treatment plan is then developed based on your goals. This can include educational classes, group therapy, individual therapy, medication, or a combination of all of the above. This treatment plan should be a collaborative process, it should be based on what you want, not just what your therapist tells you that you need. Then treatment begins. There is a wide range of treatment lengths, frequencies, and ways to track progress so you can determine when treatment should be terminated. Don’t be afraid to ask your therapist for clarification about all of this if you’re not clear on it.

Q: What is individual therapy? 

A: It’s exactly what it sounds like. It involves you meeting with a therapist 1:1. A variety of things can happen in these sessions depending on your needs and your therapist’s treatment expertise. It could be teaching you coping skills, relaxation techniques, communication skills, or helping you process trauma. The possibilities are endless. One thing I can tell you for sure though, and this may come as a surprise to many, the job of a therapist is not to solve your problems or tell you what to do. A therapist’s job is to empower, support, and guide you in overcoming your individual obstacles. Believe it or not, you’re the one with the answers and the ability to overcome whatever situation you are in. I know I like to make my husband think I know everything, but as long as you don’t tell him, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I don’t know everything and neither does your therapist. You’re the expert in your life and your therapist is like a mentor.

Q: What is Group Therapy? 

A: Group therapy can be different depending on the facilitator. Typically though, group therapy involves group processing, education, or a combination of both. It can involve you sharing your story with others, a therapist guiding you through it along with fellow members, and skill-building in a group setting. While it sounds very intimidating it can be very helpful and effective for most cases. It is a great supplement to individual treatment. It typically allows you to be seen more frequently. It’s also helpful in ways that meeting individually with a therapist might not be, you are in a group of other people who have a good understanding of what it’s like to be a patient, have insights to share, and can provide feelings of camaraderie, a very powerful feeling when you’ve been isolated due to mental illness. It also allows you to feel confident in your ability to handle certain situations and your therapist can help you implement these skills in your specific situations.

*Side note: Most groups do not require you to share unless/or when you are comfortable, so please do not be scared off by the idea of being in a group. 

Q: Well then what is a class? 

A: Classes are typically educational and skill-building, much like if you were going to school, only it’s mental health-oriented. There are a variety of topics that can be covered in classes but typically a patient will only attend classes specifically designed to address what they are struggling with and ways to manage or cope with it. It can also be helpful in conjunction with individual therapy, like groups. Skills shown to be effective in managing or coping with the class’s subject matter are taught along with activities to allow for practice in implementing the skill. Sometimes these are a series and sometimes it is a single event. Sometimes these can be referred to as a workshop or seminar.

*Side note: Just like with groups, classes typically do not require you to share unless/or when you are comfortable, so please do not be scared off by the idea of being in a group. 

Q: What if I don’t want to take medication? 

A: That’s fine, you don’t have to take medication if you don’t want to, it’s not always necessary. It can be helpful at times though, for instance: if you have such debilitating anxiety that you can’t even leave the house to receive treatment or if you’re so depressed you can’t even fathom practicing the skills you and your therapist have been discussing or you are learning in a group/class/workshop. Medication is also not always permanent, so just because you start taking it, doesn’t mean you have to always be on it. Medication for the most part is a very personal choice. 

*Side Note: Finding the right medication can be frustrating and a lengthy experience. There can often be annoying side effects at first but they typically go away, and sometimes different medications/levels have to be tried before you find the right one. Everyone’s brain works differently so it can be a process, have patience and please be very transparent with your doctor! 

Q: But what if I want medication or need medication? 

A: That’s fine also! There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication. Many people need it. It’s not a character flaw or a personal failure. Our brains are very complex and sometimes they don’t always work as well as we would like. There are a variety of reasons why medication is necessary for the treatment of mental illness and I won’t go into the details here because that’s not what this specific blog is for. But our brains don’t always work as efficiently as we would like and there are a variety of things that can and do go wrong in the brain causing mental illness. This is why there are so many different types of medications. Sometimes people need medication for the rest of their lives and sometimes they’re able to take breaks or only use them for a short period of time. Whatever your case is, it’s ok. Think of it as extra support for your journey.

 *Side Note: As I said in the question before about not wanting medication: because it is often a malfunction in the brain and there are a lot of different ways/reasons your brain isn’t working as efficiently as it could be, finding the right medication can be a tiring process, but be patient and open with your doctor! 

Well, there you have it, Therapy 101. I hope that this blog has answered some of your questions. Next week I will talk about the differences among each provider and explain what all those crazy letters after our names actually mean.

If I missed anything or you have more questions please contact me at Colleen@scatteredpotential.com, subscribe to my blog or my newsletter by filling out the form below. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.