Kate Robinson

If you’re at this site, you’re at least curious. My best advice is to reach out to several therapists if you have never tried it or tried and felt it didn’t help in the past. Get a feel for the person and whether there is a connection from a short introductory call. Go with your gut reaction. Have an initial session even that isn’t an intake. Move on if you don’t mutually find a fit.  My other advice is related to outcomes: your therapist cannot change you, only you can change your own life. Your therapist can guide that and support it; you need to be willing to do some work. Therapy isn’t just sharing your woes with someone once a week; change comes with time and effort—nothing is going to be radically different instantaneously. It may take time for there to be lasting change. It isn’t about a step forward for steps backward. It is more like a meandering path you take to move to where you prefer to be. You can revert to past behaviors when there are times of uncertainty. You then recognize this and correct your direction. Learning self-compassion is a big part of therapy and becoming able to guide yourself once a course of therapy is complete.