There’s a lot of misinformation out there about therapists and how counseling actually works. This makes finding a Federal Way therapist challenging when you’re not even sure if counseling will help. As someone who has had various therapists in my lifetime, I empathize with your struggle. Due to the misconceptions about counseling services, I’ve created a list of myths that might help you better understand the therapy process and what support to look for.

Myth #1: Therapy is only for people in crisis

I cannot scream this to the roof tops loud enough…THIS IS NOT TRUE! Everyone can benefit from therapy. Whether you’re needing support in grieving a loss, making sense of your anxiety, creating organizational tools for work, managing parenthood, healing trauma, learning communication skills, connecting with your inner child, finding a diagnosis, dealing with family drama, or learning to accept and love yourself, there are many reasons to come to therapy. There are different types of therapy services to meet your needs at every level of care. It’s better to attend therapy as a preventative measure, rather than waiting until you’re in crisis to start. If you’re looking for counseling in Federal Way, WA check out my practice here.

Myth #2: Therapists don’t actually care me, they just want to make money

This is a generalized statement that likely stems from negative therapy experiences. The majority of therapists who I’ve talked to and heard stories from, entered the field with the primary goal of helping others. Many therapists, myself included, feel like providing mental and emotional support has been their role in their relationships since childhood. It typically comes naturally for therapists to connect and empathize with others even if they haven’t had similar experiences. Now, if I asked you if you’d do you job for free, what would your answer be? Do you think other professionals would do their jobs for free? Probably not.

While therapists enter this field with a goal of supporting others, they also need to make a living in order to properly do so. Therapists can care about your needs and charge what they need to survive at the same time. If you feel like your therapist doesn’t care about you then it’s probably time to find a different therapist. But trust that most therapists care deeply for their clients and want them to be successful in therapy.

Myth #3: Therapists see everyone for everything

There are therapists who are generalists, but it’s super common for therapists to specialize in certain issues and populations. For example, my specialties include therapy for ADHD, Body and Food issues, Queer adults, and People-pleasers. It’s better to find a provider who focuses on your specific needs and/or identities so that you can receive specialized care. This isn’t to say that general therapists don’t provide good work, but it can be difficult for them to stay up-to-date on new issues within a certain community or be fully aware of treatment tools for every mental health issue. I recommend finding counseling in Federal Way, WA with a therapist who is knowledgeable and skilled in your presenting issue.

Myth #4: Monthly counseling is enough support

Some therapists may offer monthly sessions to clients who have already done their work and just need maintenance therapy. I don’t recommend starting with monthly therapy. You are more likely to have progress and meet your goals with consistent sessions. Monthly sessions are not consistent enough to create change, especially if you’ve never done therapy before. Sessions typically run 45-60min so meeting for one hour per month just isn’t enough to have a productive session. This also requires you to engage in a lot more self-therapy outside of session. The whole point of working with a therapist is to have someone who can guide you toward your goals, help hold you accountable, and point out themes and barriers that prevent progress from happening. It’s way too difficult to do this if I’m only seeing you once per month. I would only recommend monthly sessions for people who have started off weekly and slowly tapered down to biweekly and then monthly.

Myth #5: I have to be in therapy for the rest of my life

Actually, (how many of you read that in Hermione’s voice from Harry Potter?) the goal is to not be in therapy forever. Everyone’s timeline is different so some people may need 6mo, others may need a couple years or more. There’s no shame in what your timeline is, but know that the goal is for your to graduate therapy once you feel your goals have been met. Some people stay in therapy on a less frequent basis for maintenance, but in general you should be working toward termination. This is weird to think about as we have to plan a “breakup” with each other at some point. But my job is to help you reach a point where life feels more manageable, you feel confident in your therapy skills, and overall you can function without therapy.

In Summary…

There are many myths about counseling and mental health in general. I encourage you to do some research online and by consulting with therapists. This can help you know what type of support is best fit for your needs, who is the right fit for you, and how frequent you should attend sessions. Just remember, therapists do care about your well-being, they will offer expert support, and want you to succeed and graduate.

Looking for counseling in Federal Way? Work with a therapist who fully supports you and takes your wellness seriously.

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Be Well,

Katie G.

Quality Counseling in Federal Way, WA and Online Therapy in Washington State

At Rainy Day Therapy, Katie offers the best counseling in Federal Way, WA within her scope of expertise! Katie is trained in attachment theory, feminist therapy, solution-focused therapy, mindfulness, ADHD, communication and boundaries, relationship needs, identity building, and disordered eating & body acceptance. Katie works best with women, queer identities, plus size folks, non-binary and gender fluid individuals, and highly sensitive people. Rainy Day Therapy provides counseling in Federal Way, WA and online therapy in Washington state. Interested in working with Katie? Book a free 15min consult here.

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The Top 5 Myths about Counseling in Federal Way, WA