Top Truths about Therapy, Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Coaching in Los Angeles

In my last blog, I wrote about some of the myths that people often think about therapy. While debunking myths is really important, I also wanted to share some truths about therapy that you might now know. From my own experience as a therapist and from talking with many other therapists in the Los Angeles area, there are a few things about therapy that I wish everyone knew and about what therapy is really like!  

Truth #1: Your therapist does care about you

One thing I have often heard from people is a concern that even though their therapist seems empathetic and supportive, that being caring is their job and that they have doubts that their therapist really cares about them. While it is true that therapists are doing their job, every therapist I have ever met truly cares about their clients on a deep level. Your therapist genuinely wants to help you and cares about what happens in your life outside of therapy.

Truth #2: Your therapist does work for you outside of session

 While most of the direct work of therapy happens within the session, therapists do spend time thinking about ways to help you outside of session as well. Therapists spend time reflecting on the session, preparing for the next session, researching resources and ideas about what can help. While therapists typically have extensive training in the particular issues they treat, each client is unique and so a lot of work goes into tailoring the therapy to what is going to be most helpful for you.

Truth #3: Therapy can help with specific issues AND help you grow as a person

Therapy is amazing in that it really can be helpful for whatever you need it to be. Many times, people come to therapy because they have a specific issue they want to work on – maybe you’re struggling with your relationship with food or your body, or you’re often anxious and have trouble sleeping, or you’ve been fighting more with your partner – these are all things that therapy can help with. However, therapy is also a great place to self-reflect and grow as a person. I often work with clients who stay to continue to work together even after their specific concern has resolved, because having the space to explore your inner thoughts and feelings has tremendous value to living a fulfilling life. Other times, people start therapy even if they are feeling okay but value taking time to reflect and get to know themselves better. If you have questions about whether therapy could be beneficial to you, I would love to help you figure this out.

I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Los Angeles and helps you feel more confident and hopeful about starting therapy (or counseling or coaching). If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at (424) 231-5877 or send me a message for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person and talk more about what therapy is really like and what you can expect. If you are looking for help with eating disorders, anxiety, or relationship issues, you can read more about how I can help here.