Am I doing this right?
Am I doing this right?
Am I doing this right or I have never done this before… These are often things I will hear from people who are new to therapy or in the beginning of our work together. I will often respond with this is very exciting and I am so glad that we get to do this work together.
Starting something for the first time, or having the courage to try something new can be scary and also so rewarding. So back to the question, am I doing this right?
I may offer a bit of a thought restructure if you will. Instead of asking is this right or is this wrong maybe try asking yourself, “Is the work I am doing in therapy aligning with the changes I am hoping for in my life and am I addressing what I need/want to. A couple of things to consider here:
Am I ready and willing to do the hard and meaningful work. And am I dedicating time to continue the work outside of therapy as needed.
Have I thought of what I want to get out of therapy? Have I communicated what I hope to get out of therapy with my therapist.
Evaluate progress in small increments of change and allow yourself to notice those changes in your life.
Oftentimes I think people approach therapy thinking “ Therapy will be the thing that changes everything.” Well that is just not the case with really… anything. There are alot of little small tweaks and changes along the way that can lead to lasting and meaningful change in the future. Of course advocating and articulating your expectations in therapy is important for your therapist to know what modalities best support your needs. If you are not getting what you hope to get out of therapy, have a conversation with your therapist!
-Maureen