So today I went to therapy for the first time. It was a new and very expensive(đ ) experience for me. We talked about a few of my issues , therapist asked some basic questions to know me and gave me “homework” to improve myself.
I wanted to talk about some more issues but she said I shouldn’t unload everything in the first session and said its a long term process and we should keep something for the 2nd session.
I am feeling mixed reactions after this , my therapist assured me I did good since I maintained eye contact and posture and gave clear answers but I feel like I missed upon some issues which needed talking.
Is it normal to feel like this after the first therapy session ?
10 comments
Therapie is not an exam and you can’t do bad or good.
The only relevant question is if you feel the therapist is right for you, or not. Which to be fair you might not be able to tell after one season.
Its not an exam. You dont get graded there. You just go there and communicate stuff you need to let out of your system. Therapists are professionals who dont judge you. They’re not related to you in any way so no bias is there either. They’re neutral, and a safe place where you can and should talk about things you otherwise cant. Your therapist is there to help you understand things and find solutions that help you best. Thats it. You dont have to impress them or put up an image.
You donât win at therapy. Itâs not something that fixes you over night. I initially signed up for one reason and have spent two sessions talking about something else. But I feel like I have made tiny steps towards change in myself. After the sessions Iâm usually exhausted but not as frantic as when I went in so for me thatâs a good thing.
Iâve also not managed to make eye contact with my therapist yet when Iâm talking to her. Maybe one day đ
Youâre doing good by recognising you needed help and taking the steps to go! Well done!
Relax dog you canât get punished for doing a bad job in your own therapy sessions. Therapy is about personal growth and it sounds like you tried to be open and honest. Do the suggested homework and continue to be open and honest with the therapist.
You showed up. Instant A
Buddy come join us in r/talktherapy
Donât worry about how you did. The first session is also a challenge for the therapist as they have to connect with you and find ways to help you
I would go for an older more experienced therapist vs a younger one but thatâs me . You know what makes you more comfortable and thatâs important. You canât pass or fail at therapy unless youâre intentionally dishonest which would render your therapist irrelevant and pointless. So just be proud of yourself for having the courage to seek treatment. As far as it being a long term process. Thatâs not necessarily true. I went to one for years and I more recently went to one for about 5 sessions and I no longer felt the need. I think itâs more of an individual thing.
lol imagine if you got rated on a scale from 1-5 by your therapist 1 being this dude is absolutely nuts, 5 being Iâm just wasting this guys time and taking his money.
Therapyâs a marathon not a sprint.
Edit: as in, youâre not supposed to race through with it. Healing takes time, and the journey to the end is a part of the progress.
The point with therapy isnât: âHereâs what I deal with; ..â followed by a bullet line and expecting answers.
For one, because there isnât a fact-list with issues.
Secondly, because they need to know you, so they donât just give incompatible answers/suggestions
Thirdly, as others have said, itâs not an exam. If youâre uncomfortable with eye contact, you donât need to maintain it to please them, and the same goes for posture and what not. Youâre supposed to be yourself. Otherwise, theyâd be âfixingâ whoever youâre pretending to be instead of seeing you for who you really are.