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Poohbah
Member Since Nov 2017
Location: United States
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#1
I haven’t experienced trauma, but have certainly had some hardships like most people have. I came to therapy for some life struggles but it has become about something else entirely. It feels full of tension for me although I believe my therapist is good and kind. I keep pushing through because I like the idea of therapy and I like this therapist and also because I dislike the idea of failing at this. But I do wonder if I’ve had enough. It’s got me thinking that maybe therapy isn’t for everyone.
It seems like my therapist occasionally takes credit for some things going well in my life. I’m not saying he necessarily shouldn’t, but I’m not completely convinced. Maybe certain things would have gone well anyway even without therapy. After all, life is naturally full of ups and downs. I recently went out of town with my husband for a few days and we did some hiking. It was carefree and relaxing and I genuinely felt close to him in ways that might not have seemed possible a few years ago. I’m doing psychodynamic therapy, so no specific or at least no articulated goals, but it seems I’m working on opening up, trusting others, and taking care of myself, etc, so I suppose it could be related to therapy, but it’s not obvious to me. I’m curious if others have had similar experiences? |
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Magnate
Member Since Oct 2018
Location: USA
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#2
No, I don't think most people need therapy actually.
When I reached a place where I felt able to manage through life without needing to bounce it up against a therapist, I left therapy and I doubt I'll ever need to return. |
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koru_kiwi, Lrad123
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underdog is here
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#3
No - absolutely not. I do not think most people could benefit from therapy
__________________ Please NO @ Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. Oscar Wilde Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. |
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Lrad123
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#4
I think most people who SEEK therapy have neutral or positive experiences.
I do not have much faith in therapy’s usefulness when it becomes excessively painful or tumultulous for certain clients. |
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koru_kiwi, Lrad123
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#5
Some do and some don’t. I am not sure how to calculate “most”. Depends why someone is in therapy too.
Sometimes one just need neutral person to talk to. Some people find bereavement therapy very helpful. When my daughter unexpectedly lost her husband she saw specifically bereavement therapist. She swore by it. I found my therapist unhelpful with grief and bereavement but she is very good with other things. Some people like group therapy. Not me. I have zero interest and absolutely no time for sitting listening to other people’s Issues. So there is no cookie cutter approach. People who had bad experience or unrealistic expectation of therapy will tell you how all therapy is bad and all therapists are crooks. Words like “All, never, always” don’t appeal to me and “most” is impossible to calculate as it would be really hard to collect statistical data like this |
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feileacan, Lrad123
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Jan 2014
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#6
My friend and I have discussed this often She has never been to therapy but she does she a spiritual director who has educational training as counselor. However he is not a counselor. My friend believes most people could benefit from therapy at some point in life.
__________________ Last edited by nottrustin; Jul 12, 2019 at 11:22 AM.. |
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Lrad123
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#7
No, I don't think most people need therapy and I also don't think therapy is something that should go on in someones life forever. If you have a struggle in life and you want to talk the issue out with someone that is fine and go do just that. Once you feel that is resolved than move on.
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Lrad123, zoiecat
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underdog is here
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#8
Well, at least some (most I would say if you do a quick search) seem to believe the answer is yes (which does help them stay in business). And those guys don't seem to have any problems with the idea of most or all etc
Who Doesn't Need Therapy? | Psychology Today (I greatly dislike this guy -but his attitude about therapy is pervasive and (I believe) quite dangerous) __________________ Please NO @ Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. Oscar Wilde Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. |
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BudFox, here today, koru_kiwi, Lrad123, missbella
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#9
How can anyone answer this.
No one walks in anyone else's shoes. How someone wishes to negate their life. What they use. What they find useful, what they don't find usefulis purely a personal decision. Putting Personal bias aside, is up to the individual. |
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divine1966, SlumberKitty
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divine1966, feileacan, koru_kiwi, Lrad123, ScarletPimpernel, SlumberKitty, Spirit of Trees
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#10
This is a very good answer.
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Lrad123
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#11
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Lrad123
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#12
I think some people benefit from therapy. I certainly have. But I have friends that have tried it and it didn't work for them. I think it depends on a lot of factors like the therapist, where the person is in their life, if the person clicks with the therapist, etc. HUGS Kit
__________________ Dum Spiro Spero IC XC NIKA |
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Lrad123
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#13
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I believe the OP was looking for speculation and opinion, which yes, varies wildly by personal experience. |
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BudFox, here today, koru_kiwi, Lrad123, stopdog, Xynesthesia2
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Poohbah
Member Since Mar 2014
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#14
At its most basic I think of therapy as a practice of listening and questioning, and I believe that most people can benefit from talking/thinking about their lives (especially when things get difficult) with a supportive person whose own interests won't get in the way. That person might be a therapist but could have some other role, like a teacher or spiritual advisor or even a good friend. Does everyone need a professional therapist, probably not.
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Lrad123, zoiecat
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#15
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nottrustin
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Magnate
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#16
Benefiting from therapy requires a talent for introspection and self-awareness that I believe "most people" lack, so my answer is no.
But I do think that your being more open and trusting with people outside of therapy is probably related to what's happening inside therapy. __________________ "I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers which can't be questioned." --Richard Feynman |
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feileacan, Lrad123
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#17
How is "benefit" defined? I think most people who try therapy find it neutral or a waste of time and quit after a very few sessions. I think it is more the minority who benefit from therapy. I have seen quite a few people who raved about therapy and their therapist yet their main real life problems have not improved a bit even after years of going.
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I would agree with the statement that some people benefit from therapy, however it is defined. Most, absolutely not. I would say certain kinds of people with certain types of issues/personalities can benefit more than others. It is extremely hit and miss IMO. |
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here today, koru_kiwi, Lrad123, SilverTongued, stopdog
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#18
Yep, he sums it up:
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__________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society. |
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here today, koru_kiwi, Lrad123
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Jun 2012
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#19
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koru_kiwi, missbella
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Poohbah
Member Since Nov 2017
Location: United States
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#20
When I first met my therapist he mentioned that he had encouraged his family members to try therapy at some point (he has 2 grown daughters). I think he was trying to tell me that he thought therapy was for everyone, not just those with a diagnosis of mental illness or history of trauma. I am continually both intrigued and cynical about my therapy and my opinion about it can change on a dime.
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