Have you seen someone going through therapy on TV? Television and film have lead to a great deal of misunderstanding about Psychotherapy.
 
Therapy is a dynamic process that involves an individual's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values, and perceptions.  An individual or a couple takes a deeper look at itself, away from the distractions of daily living, not to find out what is good, bad, right or wrong with oneself or partner, but to know oneself and the other better, often from a new perspective.

The therapeutic process provides the space to explore and resolve concerns that have interfered with healthy decisions and actions.
 
People come to Psychotherapy to discuss and resolve the following:

1. General unhappiness with our lives:  "What's the point?"
2. Chronic relationship struggles
3. Loss of someone we love through death, separation, divorce, as well as other griefs
4. Spiritual concerns
5. Sexuality and Intimacy
6. Growing older
7. Looking for a lover, partner, spouse, friend
8. How to best address addiction and/or how to best support a loved one's addiction
9. Where am I going in my life?
10. Other concerns unique to our personalities and life situations.

As a client, you should feel generally comfortable with the therapist you choose. Ask questions. Give yourself a few sessions to discuss your concerns and to allow feedback from your therapist. It is important to be able to talk about yourself and your life in a conversational style, openly and honestly. Then, the client and the therapist discuss how to best utilize therapy sessions, what areas to explore, and what actions to take.
 
Discussion of confidentiality, expectations, fees and desired therapeutic outcomes occur in the first couple of sessions. These conversations allow you and your therapist to get to know each other better, and to decide together how best to proceed.
 
While there are more and more beneficial healing modalities in the marketplace today from which to choose, Psychotherapy is an excellent opportunity for self-understanding, self-acceptance, and improved relationships with others.