What Can You Expect from Psychotherapy?

Having deliberate goals and realistic expectations improves the likelihood of success in most human activities. Psychotherapy is no exception!

Psychotherapy seems to have less of a 'stigma' attached to it than it once did. The numbers of people seeking it out through their HMOs has continued to increase over the past ten years (Data from Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest HMOs in the U.S. that provides a Psychiatry benefit). People look for a therapist for a variety of different reasons, and are often inhibited from doing so for another group of reasons. Generally, people seek it out because they want to feel better or need help solving a problem.

They sometimes talk themselves out of seeking help for fears are of 1) being thought to be 'crazy,' 2) being judged as being somehow 'weak,' or 3) being changed in ways other than what is really wanted. The first really hard thing for most people to do is to make that first call to request an appointment. Once over that step, all else becomes possible, but the work does not stop there.

What Is Psychotherapy and Who Needs It?

Everybody encounters points in their lives when they get 'stuck.' By this, I mean times when we have an idea about the 'right' thing to do, but find ourselves somehow unable to do it. Most people have also had the experiences of having their feelings overpower their ability to make good decisions, and found themselves in situations that become just too complicated to solve in a sensible or satisfying way. People worry about themselves, their adult relationships or their children - and wonder how to best help them and ourselves.

It is also important to realize that many uncomfortable or disturbing feelings like sadness, anger, anxiety or confusion are entirely normal and not cause for concern - unless and until their intensity or longevity begin to interfere with your ability to successfully engage in your day-to-day life. These are but a few examples of situations when a visit with a psychotherapist can be helpful.