I have seen an increasing number of people expressing nervousness and anxiety about starting counseling. They often can’t explain why they feel this way, however it usually prevents them from taking the necessary steps towards healing. One reason might be that anxiety can generally make you expect the worst in a situation. And when you are socially anxious, you fear ridicule and rejection and anticipate social exchanges to go poorly. These thoughts and fears can cause people to avoid counseling all together. And while the first session can feel awkward, like a first date, most people enjoy having a place to share how they feel without judgement.
There are also several myths about counseling that exist in our world. I’m going to breakdown some of the more common myths to try calming your anxiety around the process:
1. Something is wrong with you – This myth stems from beliefs about mental health from many, many years ago when seeking out help for emotions was viewed as taboo. Mental health has come a long way and is much more widely accepted in today’s world. However, this stigma tends to linger and still create feelings of hesitation in people, especially those who have never been to therapy.
2. You’ll be judged – I’ve had clients worry about being judged in session. It’s important to know that good therapists are trained to remain judgment-free and keep the focus on helping you navigate your emotions without bias. Your therapist cares deeply about you and only wants what’s best for you, so judgement has no place in the therapy session.
3. Waste of time/ineffective – Some people feel as though counseling is simply “just talking”. There is so much more to it than that! A counselor often has many theories they pull from to support a client in navigating change, processing their feelings, facing trauma or even increasing self-esteem. Our role is to challenge you to grow, increase insight into what might be holding you back in life and create a space of empathy so you feel safe enough to share. We also help people address distorted thinking, learn to be more assertive and set boundaries.
4. People will know I’m seeing a counselor – In case you didn’t know, counseling is completely confidential. The only way someone might learn that you are seeing a counselor is if you tell them. Counselors are bound by professional ethics and state law to protect your confidentiality and privacy both during counseling and after counseling ends. Only in extreme situations where someone is in imminent danger or a judge orders release of counseling records can confidentiality be broken.
If you are considering counseling and still feel nervous, please give me a call. I offer a 15-minute phone consultation at no charge and welcome all questions. My phone number is 903-765-1743.
If you feel your nervousness to start therapy is related to low confidence, please contact me to learn more about self esteem therapy and how it can help you.
