Therapy: Busting Misconceptions and Awkward Realities About Starting Therapy

Thinking about starting therapy? Perhaps you've Googled “What really happens in therapy?” at 2 AM unsure where to start. Welcome. Now, let's clear up some common myths and get real about what starting therapy can be like.

Before Your First Session: Let’s Start With Some Wild Assumptions You May have Pondered

1. "The therapist is going to hypnotise me into spilling my darkest secrets."

   Nope. There’s no swinging pocket watch or “You are getting very sleepy.” We’re not magicians; we’re just good listeners, trained in our field of expertise, who might just start with asking how your week was.

   
   

2. "I need to have my entire emotional history neatly summarised."

   Again, Nope. You don’t need to arrive with a colour-coded PowerPoint with all of your history and background. “I’m feeling low and I just don’t know where to start” is perfectly acceptable and a great place to start.

   
   

3. "They’ll judge me."

   In reality, therapists have heard it ALL. You might be shocked, but we’re not. Honestly. We are there to support, not judge from afar.

   
   

4. “I shouldn’t need therapy as I should be able to juggle it all, all the time”

   There is no shame in looking for support for a mental health issue. Full stop. Accessing talking therapies can be a really effective way to help manage your thoughts and emotions. Hopefully, you’ll come out the other side being able to ride the wave that being a carer can sometime feel like.

During a Session: What Really Happens – Expectation vs. Reality

1. Expectation: I’ll be sobbing uncontrollably while clutching tissues and won’t be able to stop.

   Reality: Sometimes, yes. This does happen. And that’s OK. But other times, you’ll be having deep conversations about whether you’re team ‘pineapple on pizza’ or not. Therapy isn’t all tears—it’s also discovery and hopefully some good "aha" moments.

   
   

2. Expectation: I’ll lie on a chaise lounge while they scribble furiously.

   Reality: Most of us don’t even own a chaise longue. You’ll probably sit in a comfy chair with both feet on the ground, or maybe it’s online and you’ll be in a comfortable place you know well, to fit round your busy schedule. Either way, not a chaise longue in sight.

   
   

3. Expectation: The therapist will tell me what to do.

   Reality: Therapists don’t give orders like drill sergeants. We ask questions that help you figure it out for yourself (and then sit back while you maybe glare at us for challenging your thinking or then we wait until you’re ready to talk some more).

Therapists: The Myths vs. Truth

1. Myth: They’re perfectly enlightened beings with no personal problems.

   Truth: We have messy wardrobes, a never-ending to-do list and unfinished DIY projects too.

   
   

2. Myth: They’ll psychoanalyse me at the local supermarket.

   Truth: We’re just buying apples too, not wondering what the contents of your trolley may say about you (which is probably nothing).

   
   

3. Myth: They’re always super serious.

   Truth: We aren’t. Really. We laugh at funny cat videos (sometimes!) and have strong opinions about what really does come first; the chicken or the egg. We can be serious of course, but only when it’s needed for good therapy.

   
   

Final Truth Bomb

Therapy isn’t magic—but it can feel pretty magical when things start to click. Sure, there might be tears, but there may also be breakthroughs, a-ha moments, and even laughter. And who knows? You might even start thinking of your therapist as the person who helped you to see yourself more clearly.

Now if you did want to book that first therapy session— you know there’s no chaise longue waiting, but there might be ‘a you’ waiting, that you understand better and that feels more balanced and authentic. What are you waiting for?

Debunking Therapy Myths; What Starting Therapy is Really Like.