One of the most common challenges in starting talk therapy is the fear of judgment. In fact, this is actually one of the biggest causes of anxiety, although a lot of times people don’t realize this. It is often wholly unconscious, and people (who are really scared) might say, “Oh, I don’t need therapy.” This is human. It is also interesting: part of therapy is to make the unconscious conscious, and this is the first step in beginning to master your mind. Still, a lot of people are hesitant and anxious to even start the process because of this fear of judgment and what the therapist might think. It is a difficult hurdle to overcome. They might think: “Will he think I’m crazy? Are we going to find out that I’m really mentally sick? I better not go.” And then people suffer unfortunately more than they would have to. Another common thought is: “Oh, I don’t need therapy. I know everything already.” This is called rationalization, and actually a pretty good defense mechanism (except when it’s not) designed to make us feel better and hide our anxieties from ourselves. The fact is, going to therapy takes courage and the mental strength to be able to look at ourselves. Finally, the therapist is actually specifically trained to be non-judgmental. And also, just as an aside, I would like to think (personally) that it is a good way to live life, not to be judgmental and to be open-minded. Anyways, starting psychotherapy takes courage. The therapist should also make you feel safe and comfortable, going at your pace, as we together try to understand your struggles and figure out better solutions for you to deal with them.
