I often get the question “Do I need psychotherapy?”
My answer? “Not necessarily.”
I do not believe that everyone needs counseling. In fact, I’ve seen situations in which talk therapy was harmful. More on that later.
The big questions are:
- Is there something about your life you want to change?
- What have you done already?
- Did it work?
- Do you have “natural supports” (family, friends, groups) who might be able to help you make these changes?
A good therapist can be very helpful, but you have to do your homework. Feel free to interview several therapists before picking one. No therapist should be offended by this. I, for example, offer a free consultation.
- Research suggests that the relationship between client and therapist is more important than the therapist’s theoretical orientation, methods, etc. That is, make sure you get along with the therapist; if you can’t connect with him or her, you aren’t likely to get much out of the process.
- The therapist should prioritize you over your diagnosis or label. Research shows that diagnosis is not nearly so important to therapy outcomes as has long been thought. In fact, a “transdiagnostic approach” has been found to be at least as effective as “single-disorder” protocols.
- The therapist should have a specific theoretical approach, but should not try to force you or your issues into that approach. I, for example, am trained in several “evidence-based therapies,” including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Hypnotherapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR); but I am also well-versed in Existential Therapy,
So, how could psychotherapy be harmful?