How to Conquer The Fear of Going to That First Therapy Session
The Symbolism of Your First Therapy Session
Many of my first-time therapy clients have a few characteristics in common. Because of existing societal preconceptions along the lines of "you're ‘crazy’ if you need a therapist," people doubt their problems are important enough to investigate. Opening up to a therapist can also be uncomfortable for some individuals because they are afraid of being judged, while others need help but don't understand how a seemingly casual chat to somebody would help them.
My personal experience, albeit in a different setting, echoes similar feelings. I can't recall precisely when I joined the gym, but it was months ago. I kept putting it off till a friend of mine said to me the other day:
“You seem to have all these plans for what you're going to do when you get to the gym, but maybe you just need to go. Get on a treadmill and simply walk. You don't have to use every machine; the point is just too turn up.”
I took to heart what he said that night and just went. As I strolled in, through all of the machines, free weights, and some very fit people, I found my treadmill, put my headphones in, and simply walked. I was done in 45 minutes, and when leaving through the gym's doors, I felt great about stepping outside of my comfort zone and simply showing up.
The experience felt defining – I didn’t know how to use all the machines yet, but I knew where to go to get in shape. The path ahead of me may be rocky, but I've gotten over that psychological hurdle and felt like I've made progress.
The Benefits of Therapy
New clients tell me all the time how long they've put off seeing a therapist. They have this grand goal of going to therapy and becoming "emotionally fit" in only a few sessions, but they don't know where to begin. As a result, they feel overwhelmed, and either don't show up, cancel, or, in the worst case scenario, never reach out.
With one in five Canadians screening positive for signs of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder, and symptoms being more prevalent in young adults aged 18 to 25, the potential advantages of counselling services are difficult to dismiss.
Making that crucial step of ‘reaching out’ to a therapist can indeed help you grapple with your emotional struggles, empowering you to live a better life, find peace, and regain your identity.
By sharing your story with a psychotherapist and working together through your hurdles, you will be able to cultivate a stronger sense of self, translating to being more capable of dealing with challenges without letting the difficulties preclude you from leading a harmonious life.
Understandably, telling your story to a stranger is not easy, but the feeling of lightness that comes after, makes the initial apprehensiveness irrelevant.
The Importance of Reaching Out Now
This brings me back to my personal gym anecdote, which reflects the anxieties individuals have while trying to solve their own difficulties. I like the notion of how I paid for a membership for months but never attended – we can all have these memberships and, for example, feel good about planning to go to a counselling session. Nevertheless, more importantly, what is it actually costing us by not going?
If you're on the fence about starting therapy, but don’t want to feel overwhelmed or obliged, book a free 15-minute consultation with me.
