This seems like an obvious question but for those of us who have never sought therapy the whole thing is a daunting place. We take to the internet to find help and can often be left feeling overwhelmed at a time when we need simplicity. Therapy, in short is help.
The style of therapy depends entirely on the therapist and this can be a minefield if you are unaware of the jargon; Person Centred, Psychodynamic, Integrative, TA, CBT the list goes on. Most people who I meet admit that they went onto the Counselling Directory put in their postcode and picked the face they liked. Whilst this method is used by many it is also important to pick someone who is attached to a governing body such as UKCP and BACP, again there are more than these two. This means that the therapist whose photo you liked has at least been trained properly and gained a number of client hours before seeing you. As a still unregulated profession there are people who call themselves a therapist and have no idea of the actual training involved when it's done correctly.
Therapy is a space for you to be yourself. You can tell someone you don't know that you actually hate a friend or family member without fear of the conversation coming back to haunt you at the next family get together. You can share you emotions with someone who will sit and listen and not give examples of how they too had a similar experience. They will also not advise you but will give you the time you need to work the situation out on your own. Therapy gives you coping tools and different perspectives without judging the situation. It is a time you can indulgently take for yourself to help clear your mind, how often does that happen day to day?
Therapy is not an answer or advise giving service!
