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Many people choose to brush off the idea of therapy for fear of judgment, vulnerability or the unknown.
Maggie Taylor, a licensed clinical social worker at Iredell Psychiatry, has seen firsthand how therapy can help patients who are dealing with mental health issues. She answered some common questions around therapy.
Q: What should a new patient expect during their first therapy session?
A: During the first session, you can expect the therapist to ask about your reasons for seeking therapy, your personal history and your goals for therapy. They may also ask about your mental health history, family history and any traumas or stressors you’ve experienced. This information helps the therapist get to know you and understand what might be going on for you.
Next, they may explain their approach to therapy and discuss confidentiality and session logistics. This is a chance for you to ask questions and learn more about how they think they can help you. Time permitting, they may give you a chance to share a bit more about what is on your mind, all while listening, asking questions and helping you explore your thoughts and feelings.
At the end of the session, the therapist will probably wrap up by summarizing what was discussed and setting some goals for future sessions. Overall, the first therapy session is an opportunity for you to get to know the therapist and determine if they are the right therapist for you and for the therapist to gather information to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Starting therapy can cause different feelings for different people. Sharing your feelings, thoughts, and experiences with a stranger is hard, and can bring up uncomfortable emotions related to what you’ve been through.
Try to remember that it’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling about beginning therapy. You’re doing something positive to take care of yourself, and that takes a lot of bravery.
Q: How do you establish a comfortable and trustful environment for your patients?
A: Therapists establish a comfortable and safe environment for patients by building trust and rapport, offering empathy, creating a non-judgmental space and ensuring confidentiality, while also providing physical and emotional comfort and adapting to individual needs.
Creating a safe and comfortable environment for therapy is a foundational element that profoundly impacts the therapeutic process and outcomes. In essence, crafting a safe and comforting therapeutic environment is an ongoing and deliberate practice, nurturing a space where clients feel heard, understood and supported as they navigate their transformative journey toward healing, self-discovery and positive change.
Q: What types of therapy are available? How would someone choose?
A: There are various modalities when it comes to therapy and the clinical judgement of your therapist is critical to provide the best treatment option. Most therapists use an eclectic therapeutic approach that draws from various theoretical perspectives and evidence-based practices in order to provide individualized care. These can include but are not limited to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based, Client-Centered and Trauma-Focused therapies.
Q: What is the typical duration and frequency of therapy sessions?
A: Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long and the frequency is contingent on a patient’s needs. The frequency can range from once per week, to every two weeks, or once every month. The therapist and patient will discuss the treatment plan to determine the best care.
Q: How do you set goals and measure progress with your patients?
A: Goals are made together between the therapist and the client; it is a collaborative process. These are typically SMART goals. SMART goals are a goal-setting framework that uses the acronym SMART to help you define clear objectives. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Goals are typically reviewed twice per year.
Q: What are some common misconceptions about therapy you’d like to clarify?
A: People who seek therapy are considered weak or crazy.
Perhaps this was the association 20 years ago, but today if you seek treatment it’s often viewed as a sign of resourcefulness. The average therapy client struggles with many of the same problems we all struggle with as humans – relationships, self-doubt, confidence, self-esteem, work/life stress, depression, and anxiety.
Therapists sit behind desks taking notes while you lie on a couch.
Well, thanks Freud for creating this stereotype. This simply is just not the case. The typical therapeutic setting is much like your living room where both parties sit in comfortable chairs without barriers between them. Good therapists often ask if the distance is comfortable and refrain from taking notes until after the session so they can be present with clients.
Therapy is mostly just talking.
Therapy isn’t passive. Scenes in novels and TV shows where therapists just listen to their clients vent, nod their heads in approval and mirror back the same words are stereotypes. Together, the therapist and client identify problems, set goals, and monitor progress —sometimes with homework and reading assignments as part of their progress. It’s a collaborative process.
Q: What should a patient do if they are unhappy with their therapy sessions?
A: The client needs to bring this up with the therapist so changes and adjustments can be made to better serve them. This may be uncomfortable for the client, but the therapist will not be offended and wants to ensure they are meeting the patient where they are.
Q: What would you say to someone who is hesitant to start therapy?
A: Therapy can be scary. You’re meeting a stranger for the first time, and you’re just supposed to spill all your deepest darkest secrets? Fun, right? But therapy can also be a life changing thing, because perhaps for the very first time this is your chance to share those uncomfortable things about your life. Exposing yourself is a vulnerable thing, and vulnerability takes courage. And it’s all about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. My goal as a therapist is to be a passenger on your journey; to be a cheerleader and a guidance system. I want to make you the hero of your own story perhaps for the very first time.
LEARN MORE
Iredell Psychiatry is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 704-380-3620.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Davis Medical Center; Iredell Davis Behavioral Health Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare organization has 391 licensed beds; close to 2,000 employees; and has approximately 365 healthcare providers representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The health system’s Iredell Mooresville campus is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.