Many clients have no real idea of what Psychotherapy, Counselling and Hypnotherapy really are, often the only contact is what has been seen on TV.

So what is the reality, what can you expect and how can they help you?

Myth 1 – you need mental health issues to benefit

Of course if you are struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression or addiction then here at Talking Therapy Bolton you can get the help you need.

There are many other situations that might bring you to therapy, such as;

Adjustments to life changes like bereavements, redundancies or divorce.

Behaviour problems such as unwanted habits.

The demands of today’s hectic lifestyles in the family, at work, or in social settings.

Physical illness.

Relationship issues.

Wider issues of meaning, the difficult big questions we all sometimes face – “is this all there is?” –  “who am I really?” –  “why am I here?” – “what do I want?”

Stress levels – imagine this like a see-saw with perceived ability to cope on one end and perceived demands on the other – when ability to cope is higher, no problem -but when demands get higher then there often is a problem.

Myth 2 – therapy is something to be ashamed of

The times they are a changin’

This myth used to be the case, now, even some of our favourite household names and sporting heroes are talking openly about mental wellness.

We are on a growing wave of awareness and change, in my practice I now see more men than women so the myth that men don’t talk is not true at Talking Therapy Bolton with Talking-Cure.

If you had a long standing physical issue that was affecting your quality of life then you would seek treatment – what’s the difference?

So let’s stop the stigma, in fact let’s even stop using the word stigma and embrace the movement toward mental wellness.

Myth 3 – you can talk these issues out with friends

While I am the first to value a good support network, the idea that therapy is ‘just common sense’ is a damaging belief that Talking Therapy Bolton is trying to tackle.

Expert Therapists offer a lot more than friends or family to help deal with issues. In fact one of the issues I see a lot is that clients can’t open up to people they are close to because they are concerned about the other person’s feeling about them or what they say.

People around you  often don’t notice gradual change or have the skills to recognise clinical issues.

Your therapist can take a neutral, objective position while still using empathy.

Your therapist has the tools to understand and help you work through complicated issues. We are non-judgmental, good listeners ‘people’ people and you don’t have to worry about our feelings.

Everyone has a public, a private and a secret self, you can tell your therapist things that you perhaps never tell anyone else.

The therapy room is a space you can say anything and be accepted, and helped to explore meanings and consequences, when was the last time someone really listened to you?

Myth 4 – the myth of psychological archaeology

It isn’t true that all therapy requires you to delve into the past and re-live your childhood.

In fact, I class myself as ‘solution focused’ which means that my default setting with a new client is to start looking at where you are and where you want to get to, rather than back.

That isn’t to say that sometimes we don’t need to go back, or that if you want to start there that we won’t, but the ‘tell me about your childhood’ image of therapy is outdated.

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Myth 5 – if you ignore it, it’ll go away

It might, but more often it doesn’t and that may be why you are reading this.

I genuinely believe everyone is doing their best, no-one is trying to have a bad life but some things are beyond us to see past without help, I always use the Einstein quote