You and I can be real with each other right? Sometimes being a therapist is a hard job but maybe not how you would think. People assume that it’s hard to hear people’s painful stories all day. That’s not hard for me. It’s an honor to be able to be considered safe enough for people to share that with. I love nothing more than to be able to extend compassion and help people heal from the worst experiences of their lives. The challenge sometimes is actually the misconceptions that therapists receive and because I am a therapist I get lumped into that. Part of the reason therapy is effective is because you don’t know everything about your therapist and while I would not change that sometimes it leads to misconceptions.
Therapists just want to convince you that there's something wrong with you.
Woof. Worst one ever. That’s actually the opposite of being true. Part of the reason I don’t take insurance is that they require you to have a diagnosis aka something wrong with you. I don’t think it’s fair to my clients. There’s a reason diagnoses are created and used but sometimes they aren’t helpful. I do talk with my clients especially the ones with eating disorders who are struggling to see the significance of their behavior about a diagnosis but I never want my clients to feel like there’s something wrong with them or that there is no hope of getting better. It’s not accurate at all and it’s not helpful. It’s also not my approach at all. Therapy is not only for mental illness. It’s for everyone.
Therapists blame your family or childhood for your problems.
This one is a real struggle for me because there is a lot of truth that our histories impact our present beliefs about ourselves and the world. There’s just no way around that being the truth. It’s a principle we experience all around in the world we live in. Cause and effect is a real principle. However, the goal of a therapist is not to blame the people you love and care about especially when the people in your life were doing their best in how they raised you. In therapy, we do make connections of when things started or what they are rooted in but the goal is not to blame or confront anyone for that but to find a way to heal from it while cultivating the type of relationship you want with family and friends.
Therapists will convince you to leave your religion or church
I mean I can’t speak for all therapists on any of these honestly but for me no way dude. There’s not a chance I will ever tell you what to do with your spiritual or religious beliefs. It’s my job to help you identify your values and how to get your actions to line up with them so you can have a happier fulfilled life. There is absolutely no room anywhere in my heart to take away what is important to someone or to persuade them to abandon what’s important to them. I’m just not here for that. My personal values and beliefs have nothing to do with yours. I own mine and would never let them influence yours.
Therapists will fill your head with crazy ideas
If you think this is me, then you are giving me way more credit than I deserve. You wanna know what my clients talk about in sessions: emotions, coping skills, how to be nice to themselves, ways to work through trauma, and if we are feeling really crazy, talk about restaurants we like to eat at. Again, I can’t speak for all therapists, but I think there is some room to challenge the fact that therapists have wild agendas and want to persuade you to do things that have no impact on our lives. I am here for you, and that’s it. I want you to be happy, healthy, and safe, and want to provide you with research tools that have already been proven to help you get there.
Finding a therapist that meets your needs is important. Not every therapist is going to be the right fit but when you do find the right therapist for you, it can make a big difference. It’s important to be able to challenge these myths and misconceptions you might have about therapists in order to get the help that you deserve. Therapists aren’t here to persuade you of anything, blame your family, make you think you’re flawed, or be critical of your beliefs.
Looking for an anxiety therapist and located in Utah?
If you are struggling with anxiety and worry and feel like it’s taking over your life, therapy can help. You don’t have to live that way, and you can find relief from the knots in your stomach. This Utah County counseling clinic has an anxiety therapist specializing in anxiety treatment that can help. To begin counseling, follow the steps below:
Meet with a therapist for anxiety
Begin feeling better
Online Therapy in Utah
I know it’s hard to navigate your busy schedule, and maybe you don’t feel like you deserve to do something for yourself, like therapy. You deserve help and focus on your needs, and I want to make it convenient for you by offering online therapy in Utah. Online therapy is convenient, secure, and just as effective as in-person therapy.
Online counseling allows me to work with you if you are in Logan, Salt Lake City, St. George, Cedar City, Heber, and more.
Other mental health services at Maple Canyon Therapy
Anxiety therapy isn’t the only counseling service provided at this Northern Utah Counseling Center. Other mental services that Maple Canyon Therapy provides are eating disorder therapy, body image therapy, binge eating disorder treatment, trauma therapy, and birth trauma therapy in Utah.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt is a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Northern Utah. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in family life and human development from Southern Utah University. Ashlee has a master’s degree in social work from Utah State University. She has been practicing therapy for nearly a decade and enjoys working with women with anxiety to help them finally have peace. She helps women with high-functioning anxiety, dating anxiety, performance anxiety, and social anxiety. When Ashlee isn’t doing therapy, she enjoys spending time with her Goldendoodles who enjoy walks on the Spanish Fork River Trail.