Therapists and therapy: Are they worthwhile?

[Loraine]

:what:
Do therapists really help people or are they a waste of time and energy?
I have known people who had "problems" and went to therapists and they say the therapy helped them, but they could not explain what the therapist does that is helpful. I would feel reluctant to go to a therapist and tell her all sorts of private things unless I knew more about how therapy works.

[Noirtier]

In all honesty, it depends on your therapist. Some of them can make it really helpful, do their job well, care about you and actually try to help you through what you're going through. Others can just be kind of meh and don't work that well. If you have a good therapist, I think it can be well worth the money to pay and go see them, and if they're really good they should be willing to take the time necessary to spend with you to help you in any possible way they can. That was the kind of therapist I went to, and it helped me a lot. I have known people who went to the other kind though, and it didn't help them at all. It just depends on the doctor and what they're like to be honest.

[Loraine]

If it is not too much trouble, is it possible to describe what it is a therapist does?



BTW, if you have time, check out my other questions.

[Noirtier]

Therapy gives you a safe environment with a trained professional to express your feelings to someone who you know will keep them confidential. It helps get your feelings out, and the therapist offers advice as best they can (which they went through years of schooling as well as experience to get where they are) to help you through the situation you are going through. And sometimes, just talking through it helps. Other times, they will give you very practical advice for you to take which can help a lot in many cases.