What Therapy is Really Like…

You may be one of those people who genuinely and with gusto enjoys trying out new things and perhaps new things do not produce any forms of stress or concerns for you. However, for some, not having enough information or understanding about a new thing can induce some level of stress which may lead them to avoid the situation altogether. This can cause us to miss out on something good, fun, memorable or even life changing. In this article, I will use some metaphors to assist me in explaining what therapy is like. Ready?

The Spa

Therapy is like going to the spa. Imagine a beautiful spa, you enter and you automatically feel time slow down. The colors on the wall are beautifully muted, the sound being released through the speakers is serene and your nose even picks up a lovely scent. This automatically causes you to be aware that you are in a space that is safe and the people here will attend to meeting your needs to destress. This space loudly whispers safety and professionalism so much that you have enough trust to put yourself in a physically vulnerable position. It feels so safe and professional that you even choose on your own will to remove needed protective barriers like your clothing in order to participate in this spa like treatment.

In therapy instead of your physical body, the focus is on caring for your mind. While your body stores external impacts such as pains, aches, muscle soreness, etc. your mind stores the impact of your story, your experiences and the use of your voice. Instead of clothing barriers, in essence you are removing the protective barriers of your defense mechanism, of your coping skills, of the default way you do things.

Lastly, imagine flipping through the treatment service book and choosing the spa service you would like. Is it a facial? A full body massage, a deep tissue massage? Or is it just a pedicure today? In therapy, you choose alongside your therapist what you want to work on today. We laser target that area. So is it stress in your relationship with family, with yourself, in your workplace? Do you want to get deep or kind of stay on the surface? This is a picture of what therapy is like. A safe space fit for you to meet your need to de-stress.

The Gym

Therapy is like going to the gym. Imagine with me, walking into a gym, scanning the room and seeing the variety of equipment. In one corner, you have the cardio machines, in the other you see all the weight machines and free weights. You walk a little further in and you see the yoga room, pool, hot tub, sauna and massage tables. But you have a goal. Your goal is to shed 10 pounds. You goal is to build muscles. You goal is work upper body. Whatever you goal is, it guides you into which equipment to use. And sometimes it’s the more intense tools and sometimes its the more soothing tools. Whatever your choice is, it is working the body and getting you closer to reaching your goals. I like to think of therapy similarly. When you make that first call to find a therapist, there is usually a problem area you want to see a change in. And depending on which therapist and therapeutic perspective you choose, it may be an intense intervention or a soothing one, but whatever your choice, it is working that problem area and it is getting you closer to reaching your goal. By putting in the work, you will see the results.