14/08/2023
Why therapy might not work for you
It is no secret that therapy does not work for everyone. It can be very unsuccessful for some people and it might even make things worse for others. Let's consider some reasons why therapy might not work out;
1. Attitude
Some people make the mistake of assuming that therapists have all the answers, they do not, they are people just like you and me. They certainly cannot give you all the answers. In fact, they are not supposed to. The whole point of therapy is to empower people to solve their own problems, that is, to remind us that we are capable of handling most things. In therapy you learn how to see things differently, you learn about your patterns of behavior that cause your issues, you learn about how to treat yourself and other people and so many more.
2. Wrong therapist
As previously mentioned, therapists are not perfect. They do not have all the answers and are just as susceptible to bias just like anyone else. Obviously, it is very unprofessional when they let these biases get in the way of their work but it does happen unfortunately.
3. Other external factors
Sometimes therapy can be going well and progress can be made however when other factors are being ignored they can affect the progress made. Other factors may include your environment, your family, your work environment, school environment, health issues, lifestyle habits, etc. Making changes that only affect your mental health will not be helpful because issues do not exist in isolation. Changes need to be made in various areas of your life so that the progress you make in therapy isn't undone.
4. Resistance
This happens a lot, sometimes people just fight ag*inst the process for various reasons. One reason could be that they have a negative attitude towards therapy in general or they are simply not ready. Being in therapy tends to take you to places you don't want to go sometimes, revisiting the past for example can be especially hard. Some people do not like the idea of reopening old wounds so when it's time to tackle that in therapy they push back.
These aren't the only examples of why therapy might fail sometimes. The idea here is care needs to be taken before you start the journey, in picking the right therapist for you and coming in with the right mentality and an open mind. Also, if you feel the relationship between you and your therapist is not working, find a different therapist, you are well within your rights to do that, and for therapy to work you need to have a good collaborative relationship with your therapist.
The other important thing is to not give up, even at failed attempts at therapy. Therapy is worth it, it is a good investment in yourself and we owe ourselves the chance to heal and become better versions of ourselves.