If you have never engaged with a psychologist before or you have never been to therapy, you might wonder what therapy is all about. What does it actually mean when a person says, 'I'm going to therapy' or 'I'm seeing a therapist'? How is therapy different than just talking to a friend or loved one?
You might sometimes hear the terms counselling, psychotherapy, or talk therapy being thrown around and wonder what they mean. In essence, it is all the same. For the purpose of this, let's just call it talk therapy (I often think this is the easiest way to really understand what therapy entails). The reason we call it talk therapy is simple: the work stems from what you say. Your role as a client is to share parts of yourself: the part that struggles, the part that feels invalidated, the part that doesn't know how to cope, the part that is uncertain, even the part that is thriving and successful.
Though it may seem overly simplistic to just talk to your therapist, there is a lot of hard work that goes into therapy. It can be frightening to open yourself up to a stranger. It can be extremely emotional at times when you touch on a very poignant, transformative, or painful experience from your life. It can be tiring to share your life story. Truthfully, most of the time, it will be harder before it gets easier. The end goal however, will always be the same: ensuring you can walk out of your final session feeling more able to cope with the struggles we encounter each and every day.
A psychologist or therapist will traditionally sit face-to-face with their clients to teach skills that will be helpful in overcoming their difficulties or engage in process-oriented explorations of how their life history impacts their everyday lives. Each psychologist or therapist will work differently based on evidence-based models of therapy such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychoanalytic psychotherapy, humanistic therapy, Emotions-Focused Therapy (EFT), or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - just to name a few.
Now, there is no 'one size fits all' model of therapy. In fact, most therapists nowadays will use an integrative model that melds different models together to individualise the therapy for each client. No matter what therapeutic modality your psychologist or therapist uses however, there is one common thread: any good psychologist or therapist will be able to offer you a confidential and safe space to talk about anything that matters to you without judging you.
That's truly the beauty of therapy and it also answers the question, 'How is therapy different than just talking to a friend or loved one?' Your therapist is an impartial third party in your life. They can offer an external perspective on your life events (which is often much-needed). They will listen without judgment. Your therapist will be someone you confide in, without you being worried that someone else will find out what you're struggling with. Your therapist will care and will want the best for you without any hidden agenda.
So if you're struggling with a trauma in your life history, if you're worried about everyday stressors in your life, or if you just hope to discover more about yourself, you might consider seeking therapy.