Understanding Therapy
Should I start a therapy program? People approach us after wrestling with this question. To help you consider whether a therapy program is right for you, please review the following frequently asked questions and complete the questionnaire. You can also contact us if you have additional questions or concerns.
What will others think of me if they find out I am in therapy?
Public attitudes about therapy used to be influenced by misconceptions and stigma but that has drastically changed in the past 15 to 20 years. As many as 91% of Americans say they are likely to consult a mental health professional or recommend that a family member do so if they or a family member is experiencing a problem. (Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, 2004).
Therapy has become an important part of American life. About 1 in 4 people have received services for a mental health problem and nearly half the population knows someone who has received services (Harris Poll, 2004).
Does therapy work?
Therapy is most certainly effective in helping people to cope with and overcome a broad range of life challenges. As one leading researcher has concluded, “Psychotherapeutic treatments have been subjected to rigorous clinical trials, and the benefits are demonstrably large” (Wampold, 2010). Research routinely demonstrates that up to 80% of people who have participated in services are better off than those who have not had the benefit of therapy services (Lambert & Ogles, 2004; Wampold, 2007).
What are the benefits of therapy?
Studies have consistently shown that people identify the following aspects of therapy as being most helpful to them:
- Feeling understood, accepted and being heard;
- Having a safe space to explore feelings, thoughts, behaviors and experiences
- Support for dealing with crises
- Support for trying out new behaviors
- Advice (Levitt, 2004)
How should I decide if it is the right time to start therapy?
Making the decision to start therapy can be difficult and complicated. To help you with your decision, the AWE therapy team developed a questionnaire that can help you.
