Therapy: Does Feeling Different Prove That Therapy Is Working?

When someone has therapy, it might not take very long until they begin to feel different. Now, the reason they are having therapy could just be to change how they feel, or there could be more to it.

If this is the only reason they are having it, it can cause them to believe that they are making progress. This could be a sign that one has been working with them for a few weeks, or it could be even longer.

The Issue

If the main reason they wanted to have therapy was to feel better, it could show that they were not at peace within. Perhaps they suffered from depression, or they might have been in a position where they were under a lot of stress, for instance.

And through working with a therapist, they might no longer feel as they did before. At the same time, one could just find that even if they are not where they would like to be, they are in a much better place.

A New Approach

As to why they feel different, it could show that they have changed their perspective. The time they have been spending on themselves, has then allowed them to be more resourceful than they were before.

This might also have been a time when they have been worked through different emotions and conflicts. One may have been aware of what was taking place before, or this might not have been the case.

External Support

Yet, even if they were aware of certain things, they may find that working with a therapist has increased their understanding of themselves. On the other hand, one might have had absolutely no awareness of what was taking place, and then this would have gradually changed.

The time, money and effort they are putting into this area of their life are then going to be worth it. And through getting to this stage, they might come to the conclusion that they no longer need their assistance.
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Times Goes By

Through no longer working with a therapist, one might find that the changes they have made end up staying with them. Alternatively, one could find that they don’t feel the same, but that doesn’t mean they will fall apart.

And even if they were to change, they will have the tools that they need to get themselves back on track. Also, it is not going to be possible for one to always be at the same level; there are going to be ups and downs.

A Big Difference

However, one could also find that they start to fall apart once they stop having therapy. Based on how they felt when they were having it, they might find it hard to comprehend what is taking place.

When they were having it, they would have felt good, and now that it has come to an end, it can be is if as they are back where they started. There is also the chance that they will end up feeing even worse.

Helpless

They could come to believe that here must be something wrong with them, as what they were doing hasn’t worked. Therefore, if one felt powerless before, this could be something that they feel even more deeply.

It might only be a matter of time before they go and work with the same person again. The reason for this is that one might believe that they need to have it for a longer than they did before.

A Different Route

Yet, if one continued to have therapy, it wouldn’t heave been possible for them to have this experience. Thus, how they feel during this time can be seen as a reflection of how they have grown.

When the time comes for them to stop, they could then be even for an even bigger shock. They will have put in far more time, money and effort, but they will end up feeling the same as they would have done if they had stopped having therapy earlier.

The Same Experience

Once again, one could take what is happening personally and blame themselves. It could then be said that one will be taking on too much, and this is going to stop them from looking into why they feel this way.

As if one was to bring their attention away from themselves and onto what was taking place externally, they might be able to see why they feel so different. In order to do this, it might be necessary for them to allow themselves to settle down.

A Good Friend

One way of looking at this would be to say that this whole experience is similar to what happens when they see a good friend or a close family member. But while this can be the case, it doesn’t mean that this is something that stands out.

When one spends time with someone like this, they are likely to feel better about themselves. Even so, this is unlikely to cause them to believe that how they feel around them is a sign that they have grown.

Slightly Different

In the same way, just because one feels different after working with a therapist, it also doesn’t mean that they are any different to how they were before. What is going to be different is that they are spending time with someone who is completely focused on them.  

This alone is going to meet a number of their needs, and it is to be expected that their well-being will improve. But in the same way that their inner world is going to change once they walk away from a friend or family member, it can also change when they no longer have therapy.

Conclusion

With this in mind, there is going to be no need for them to believe that there must be something wrong with them for responding in this way. This is something they can talk to their therapist about, and one might need to find someone else to work with.  

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk