3 Reasons Why Your Therapy Is Not Working for You

Updated on October 30, 2019

Therapy is an extremely effective tool that allows you to work through issues in your life and cultivate the mindset and lifestyle that will help you to succeed. However, not everyone who goes to therapy is guaranteed to experience the same results. Like any treatment, therapy has the potential to be ineffective, and this can be tied to several factors. If you are in therapy or haven’t experienced what you hoped from therapy in the past, here are three reasons why therapy is not working for you. 

1. You’re Unrealistic With Your Expectations

Many people have the misconception that therapy is a quick fix to their problems. They expect to go into therapy, receive answers to their problems, and return to their everyday lives. The issue? Therapy is a process. In no instance are you going to be able to fix all of your problems and find the answers that you need in one session. You have to go to therapy regularly so that you and your therapist can better understand your current problems and come up with solutions as you monitor your progress between sessions. 

People who have this misconception of therapy may also go to their sessions with the idea that the therapist will be able to take a quick look at their problems and provide them with speedy treatment. More often than not, therapy is a process that requires you to look deep inside of yourself and be vulnerable and honest with your therapist as you examine that which is contributing to your current state. This in itself can be quite extensive. Overall, you need to be realistic with what you’re expecting to receive from your therapy sessions when you sign up. If you are being unrealistic, you are going to get very little out of the process. 

2. You Are Not Connecting With Your Therapist

Having a genuine connection with your therapist is a vital part of good therapy. When you have a therapist that you get along with, who understands and validates your feelings, who is in line with your own values and views, and who is genuinely invested in the improvement of your health and well-being. When you have a therapist who you don’t connect with or seems like they aren’t engaged during your sessions, going to therapy can seem like a chore. You may dread it, and wish you could skip out. Without the drive and connection, there’s very little encouraging you to get anything out of your therapy. 

3. You Aren’t Putting in the Work Outside of the Office

Your therapist is a specialist who is there to help you bring attention to your problems and craft a plan that can help you recover and get to where you want to be in life. However, some people believe that therapy is the only time they need to be focused on these aspects of their life. While therapy is certainly a safe place where you learn a lot about who you are and what challenges you face, the real work happens outside of the office. If you’re not doing what your therapist tells you and you aren’t working on actively changing your lifestyle, the work that takes place in the office isn’t going to benefit you much at all. You have to do the work to reap the benefits!

Most importantly, having the right quality of help will improve your therapy experience. Are you having trouble finding the right therapist in your area? If so, visit nyctherapy.com to find certified, experienced, caring therapists in New York who can help you with your mental health and life problems. 

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