Biggest Myths About Trauma Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia
You have heard a few people mention they are seeing a therapist and you have started thinking about therapy for yourself. It seems people are becoming more accepting of mental health problems and supportive of those with issues. And you are trying to figure out what you need and what to expect if you start seeing someone for trauma therapy in Atlanta. You know you need a change. But, you’ve heard some things about therapy that give you pause. Let’s talk about the top myths and what is accurate and what is not.
Myth #1: Trauma therapists are simply just a friend you pay to listen to you complain.
There is a very different dynamic between friends than between client and therapist. The relationship with your therapist will be one-sided where the focus is for them to be there to help you. Therapists are trained in ways to ensure the focus of your time in therapy remains on helping you. Advice offered by a friend tends to come from their own experience and is most likely the solution they would choose to solve that problem. But what if that solution doesn’t work for you or your situation? Even with the best intentions, friends can make us feel worse. A therapist will help you explore various options and then implement the one best for you. Seeing a therapist is much more than just a place to complain.
Friends can tell you what you want to hear in order to keep you happy and avoid conflict, while a therapist doesn’t. Therapists have training that allows them to use interventions to help you reach certain goals that will improve your life. It can also take an emotional toll on your relationship with your friends to hear the ways you are struggling especially if they are involved or too close to the problem. Therapists are trained in how to utilize self-care in order to make sure they can listen to your story without becoming emotionally overwhelmed. A friend can’t and shouldn’t replace a good therapist.
Myth #2: Trauma therapy is something rich privileged people do for their whole lives.
Some people think therapists overcharge for their services, but most therapists have a standard rate. If your family doctor charged the same rate for a check-up would you pay it? We probably think of what a therapist charges as high because we are still trying to accept mental health as something that is significant.
The cost of therapy can certainly add up. You can try using your out-of-network insurance benefits if you are seeing a therapist who doesn’t take insurance. This can lower the cost for those who need to use insurance. Another option would be to locate a therapist who offers group therapy that addresses the issues you would like to address in therapy. Granted this will be somewhat different from individual therapy, but group therapy is easier to afford than individual therapy.
Myth #3: Trauma therapy will last for years.
Therapy is a difficult thing to do successfully within a rigid timeline. If you were going to complete a round of antibiotics, you would be given a certain amount, told how much to take, how often, and how long. How long you are in therapy will vary from person to person. Some people seek therapy, but because of their form of mental illness, they are unable to take in much of what therapy has to offer. Certain situations can also be more difficult to change and therefore will take longer to address.
It can take time to change the thinking patterns and behaviors that brought you to therapy, especially if they are well-engrained. You could start to recognize changes in how you feel, and possibly changes in behavior, within the first few months after starting therapy. Be patient with yourself and do not expect change to happen overnight. Make sure to allow yourself the time you need to do the therapeutic work to create lasting change. On average you can expect to spend between one to three years in therapy. But there are several reasons why you might choose to stay in therapy after this time frame has passed. You might feel you still benefit from the time you spend in therapy or you might have several issues that need addressing. Reaching a certain amount of time does not mean you have to stop going to therapy if there is still work for you to do in therapy.
Myth #4: Your trauma therapist is just doing this for the money.
Many other professions offer far more lucrative possibilities. Without a flourishing clientele who are able to self-pay for therapy, a therapist is forced to accept the rates that are set by insurance companies. Some of these may limit the fee to the neighborhood of $50 before expenses depending on the professional credentialing of the therapist. If money was the therapist’s only concern, he or she could do far better teaching in a business school, working on Wall Street, or making a living in advertising.
Much of the practitioner’s income covers office expenses which can include rent, furniture, occasional remodeling, cleaning services, malpractice insurance, utilities (heat, air-conditioning, electricity, telephone, internet), books and journals, continuing education, student loans, computer hardware and software, accounting services, and taxes. A therapist in private practice doesn’t have employee benefits that might come with other employment positions. Without vacation time or other benefits offered by an employer, they are forced to pay for their own health insurance, plan for retirement, and lose pay for the time necessary for vacations, attending training, or for emergencies.
If you didn’t pay your therapist, he or she would be operating a not-for-profit corporation which would be costing them money to operate. Obtaining another full-time job to support their families could not be avoided. Impoverished, fatigued, martyrs are not ideal role models for their patients.
Myth #5: You shouldn’t expect to see real changes from going to trauma therapy.
You and your therapist will establish goals for your therapy during the first few sessions. Your therapist will talk with you about what you are looking to address or change with the help of therapy. Your responses to this question will guide the process of developing therapeutic goals which will measure your progress. A similar conversation will happen again as you reach those initial goals that will determine if you are ready to discontinue therapy or if there are other goals you need to work toward. Your therapy should be outcome-driven and guided by the goals you and your therapist set for therapy.
Myth #6: You might end up dating your trauma therapist.
The focus of the client-therapist relationship is on the client and their well-being. This is an inherently imbalanced power dynamic that can’t easily translate into a balanced, healthy relationship and is not an issue within an organic relationship. On the flip side, if you did enter into a personal relationship with your therapist, your gratitude and admiration could make it hard to stand up to them, say not to favors they ask, or weigh in honestly about their life. So the truth is, it would be unethical, illegal, and potentially harmful to you for your therapist to engage in a romantic relationship with you.
Beyond that, ending your relationship with your therapist when you’re ready can bolster your self-confidence. You might realize that, wow, you’ve actually poured a ton of work into this process and don’t need the constant presence of your therapist in order to achieve happiness or success. Keeping your therapist around won’t allow you the distance to come to that realization. Over time that distance might help you realize your warm fuzzies about that therapist weren’t even fully about them.
I hope this helps you find the right therapist in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are still feeling stuck, feel free to call me at (678) 744-5369 or click here for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and help direct you to the right person. If you are looking for help with trauma, depression, anxiety, attachment, or raising a traumatized child you can read more about how I can help at each of the links provided.
