On the journey of holistic wellness, mental well-being is one of the pillars that has to be considered to achieve wellness. One of the ways that one can boost their mental well-being is through seeking therapy.
Therapies are offered by qualified mental health specialists who have been trained to handle different mental health illnesses. In seeking therapy, however, certain beliefs are held that may act as a barrier to mental well-being.
In this article, we will look at 10 different misconceptions about therapy and also debunk them. The beliefs make it hard for anyone to seek therapy and in doing so perpetuate mental health stigma which negatively affects your well-being.

Only ‘crazy’ people seek therapy.
Most of the time, people associate therapy when it comes to conditions they consider extreme’.For example, if someone has hallucinations or a drug addiction, they may be asked to promptly seek therapy.
When therapy is associated with severe mental health conditions, it gets confusing for one who wants to start therapy but does not suffer from the different conditions. It takes away the many benefits that one gain from having therapy sessions even when they consider themselves ‘mentally healthy’.
It is false that therapy is only fit for those with different mental health disorders. You can seek therapy as a way of learning more about yourself and even where you are at in life. Seeking help is a way of self-care and you do not need a severe mental illness to seek the services of a counselor.
Therapy is just ‘all talk’.
When you visit a therapist, you will be expected to talk about different things but this is not where it ends. As the different talks are happening, your therapist can point out and discuss some things that might be affecting you.
Your therapist is well-trained to conduct the session and guide you using different therapy techniques as you deal with the situation at hand. It is therefore not true that therapy is all talk but a session where you introspect, learn and even gain different strategies.
All issues will be solved in the first session.
Therapy has different techniques and your therapist may need to take a few sessions with you for them to be effective. The first session is not enough to get to know the counselor's well-being and also help you with the different issues.
If one believes this misconception, they may ultimately believe that therapy has not worked in the first session and might even never go back. It then makes it impossible for them to seek help when they need some mental health support.
Your therapist may suggest a few sessions according to how you progress in your healing journey. Most of the time, your first session is to establish a therapeutic relationship with your therapist and as the sessions proceed you might even receive some tasks as you walk in your healing process.
Therapy is strictly for mental illnesses.
Therapy is mostly associated with mental health, but it is not strictly for those with mental health illnesses. If you hold this misconception, it gets confusing for you to know when you need to seek support.
Therapy can be sought if you need help and guidance about a career change, relationship issues, loss of a pet or even moving to another country.
It is a way to check in and support your mental well-being different therapists have. It is also crucial to notice that different therapists have specialized in different fields and are ready to offer the help you need.
Therapists are mind readers.
Therapists are not mind readers. However, they are trained to observe and also help you interpret your thoughts and behaviors. It may seem like mind reading, but they use evidence-based techniques and are guided by what you say in therapy.
It therefore necessitates that you as a client be open and free with your therapist. If you believe that your therapist is a mind reader, you may not be open with them and hide important details. If these important details are not discussed then it makes it hard for you to feel the progress.
Therapy is only applicable to adults.
Therapy is beneficial to all people, the young and the old. In each age of life, there are different struggles and issues that we as human beings face.
A therapist is therefore in a position to address the different issues whether the client is a child or an adult. It therefore means that your child can benefit greatly from seeing a therapist.
Therapists can hold opinions about their clients.
Therapists are trained to uphold strict ethical guidelines when it comes to handling different clients. Therapists therefore take each client as an individual and do not judge their clients under circumstances.
Therapists who refer you to other therapists are incompetent.
There are times when a therapist may refer you to another therapist. In such circumstances, the therapist is not incompetent, but rather they feel that the issue will be handled better by a therapist who is well experienced in the issues at hand.
Most of the time, before the referral the therapist will explain the need and even seek your consent.
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Conclusion.
To summarize, the misconceptions we hold may be a barrier to seeking therapy and viewing it as a resource that significantly adds to our overall well-being.
By debunking these beliefs, it makes it easy for you to seek different services that will be of great benefit to you.
What other misconceptions have you heard about therapy? You can tell us down below.
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