Is Therapy Worth It?

Posted: January 12, 2024

By: Natasha Cooke, MS, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S Is therapy worth the effort? If you're wondering whether mental health therapy is worth it, you're like millions of other Americans. Perhaps you've been wanting to begin therapy, but you're a bit skeptical. You probably have a slew of questions you'd like answered before you begin. Well, luckily, I have some answers to the top questions about whether therapy is worth it.

Is Therapy Worth the Time?

Okay, so you, like many other adults, have endless commitments that require your attention. Between work, house chores, keeping up with your relationship, friends, and maybe even kids or pets, you simply don't believe that spending time once a week in therapy would be practical. Well, thankfully, many therapists have a variety of options available ranging from early morning to late evening (including after work hours) and sometimes even have appointments on the weekends. Finding a day and time that works well for you will significantly reduce the stress you have about the time component of therapy. Additionally, most therapists nowadays offer virtual sessions. You can attend a session in the comfort of your own home! Without having to head out the door, you can spend much less time and still work towards the betterment of your mental health.

You Can Set Your Schedule

Furthermore, although it is typically recommended that you begin with weekly sessions, you can begin every ten days or two weeks. After some time, you might even move to every three weeks, monthly, or on an as-needed basis if you are making a good deal of progress. You can always request to increase or decrease session frequency as you see fit. Of course, your therapist will give you their best recommendation on how often they believe you should come in. Lastly, if you believe that an hour (or about 45-50 minutes) a week is too much of a time commitment, remember that most Americans spend upwards of two hours a day doom-scrolling on their phones. That comes out to be over 14 hours a week (and often much more) time spent on your screen! If you were to dedicate 50 minutes of your entire week to therapy, you would likely see a grand improvement in the state of your mental health. I haven't even mentioned all the benefits therapy has to offer, such as providing you with a safe space, helping you learn coping techniques, building communication skills, increasing confidence, improving relationships, and so much more.

Is Therapy Worth the Financial Sacrifice?

Would you think twice about going to the ER if you had a broken arm? In most cases, you wouldn't. Well, unfortunately, society has separated "mental health" from general health, and typically, mental health is not seen as important as physical health. Well, that's a very silly concept, considering mental illness and distress can keep you from functioning properly in school, work, relationships, or any other area of your life. Not to mention that mental illness typically comes with some physical symptoms. These range anywhere from fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, nausea, fainting, and more. Seeing as therapy will likely improve your mental health, it is worth the financial sacrifice. Additionally, going to therapy tends to be much less expensive than exclusively seeking a psychiatrist.

Is Therapy Worth the Commitment?

Maybe you're fine with paying the fee and spending the time it takes to go to therapy, but you're afraid of the commitment. What if your therapist pushes you too much? Will your therapist force you to discuss all your past trauma or talk about topics you aren't ready for? The answer is a good therapist gently challenges you but does not push you to discuss things you aren't comfortable with. Unless there is a safety concern, your therapist will respect your boundaries. You might also be wondering, "What if I don't click well with my therapist?" Well, thankfully, many therapists do 10–15-minute free consultations that allow you to ask questions and determine if they are a good fit before you schedule a session. And, if you meet with your therapist and still don't feel a good connection after several sessions, you can always try another therapist until you find a match. However, many people find that after learning their new therapist's counseling style after a few sessions, they can open up and feel more confident discussing their issues. Also, don't be afraid to give your therapist feedback. For example, you might ask them to make sessions more goal-oriented or less goal-oriented and more focused on processing current or past situations. You can also request worksheets or homework if you'd like. Chances are, a good therapist will work with you to ensure you are getting the most out of your therapy experience.

Begin Therapy in Katy, TX!

If you need more direction to help manage your emotions, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide mental health counseling, as well as other mental health services. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:

Contact our office to set up an appointment or to learn more information about therapy
Meet with one of our kind therapists
Find other ways to process emotions and grow your coping skills with the help of a knowledgeable therapist!

Other Therapy Services We Offer:

Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men's issues, women's issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!