Is Therapy for Me?
Common reasons people start therapy, what to expect in your first sessions, and how the process can help you grow.
We live in a period where going to therapy is more common than ever, and at any given point, many of our loved ones or community members are working with a therapist. But if you’re thinking about seeking out therapy for the first time or revisiting it after a break, you may be facing questions like “Should I be in therapy?” “Do I need therapy?” “What would I even talk about with a therapist?” and “What does everyone else talk about in therapy?”
Unfortunately, given a widespread obsession with “hustle culture” and “rugged individualism,” many may feel that they only need or deserve therapy if they are struggling “enough.” While it’s valid and important to reflect on our motivation to come to therapy, it’s also meaningful to consider ways that you may be putting your pain on a hierarchy or stretching your capacity to suffer. Starting therapy need not be and often isn’t dictated by an active crisis. People come for a variety of reasons, unique to their individual circumstances, struggles, and goals for themselves.
Let’s explore some of the reasons people start therapy, what therapy sessions may look like, and the value that therapy can bring to your life.
Reasons People Come to Therapy
Ask ten different people why they began therapy and how they use it, and you’ll get ten very different answers. Some turn to therapy to manage mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, while others use it to address and heal from trauma by exploring how it has impacted their current views of themselves or the world around them. Many find it invaluable during major life transitions – whether navigating a career change, relationship shift, or dealing with loss and grief.
– Therapy provides a safe and supportive space for individuals to share and explore their thoughts, feelings, and inner worlds with a trusted clinician. –
Others seek therapy to develop confidence and challenge negative self-talk that holds them back from recognizing their true worth. Therapy can also help improve communication skills and emotional regulation, strengthening relationships in the process. And for some, it’s a powerful space to increase self-awareness and better understand themselves.
What Therapy May Look Like
If you’ve never been to therapy before, it’s natural to wonder what happens in sessions with your therapist. The reality is that therapy looks different for everyone. It’s not a one-size-fits-all model; rather, it’s a co-created space between you and your therapist that is unique, as it should be. The process adapts and molds to you, your needs, and your desires.
That being said, there are some general structural frameworks and phases that you can expect. Your first few sessions will likely be spent getting to know each other. Your therapist will probably ask questions about what’s bringing you to therapy now, your history, and what your goals and expectations are in your work together. This assessment phase helps your therapist understand your unique experience and complex inner world. You might feel nervous at first, and that’s ok! Many people find that sharing and being open becomes easier as trust and comfort builds over time.
The intervention stage of therapy typically involves you as the client taking the lead on what you want to focus on in session. Together with your therapist, you can make sense of why you’re leaning into a particular topic, and how it relates to greater themes and goals in your life. Topics may range from week to week or they might stay closely linked to an issue or theme – maybe it’s something that happened during your week, a pattern you’ve been noticing in your relationships, or deeper questions about who you are and who you want to be. Your therapist might offer new perspectives, ask questions that get you thinking differently, or introduce tools and techniques tailored specifically to your goals. Some therapists give homework or exercises to practice between sessions, while others keep the work contained to your time together. It all depends on what works best for you.
The pace and focus is yours to set. Some weeks you might feel like diving into heavy topics; other weeks you might be looking for a space to process something a little lighter or simply check in. Therapy is focused but flexible. At Sōhum, our therapists know that healing and growth are not linear journeys. What matters most is that the space feels safe, supportive, and genuinely yours.
The Value Therapy Can Bring to Your Life
For many, therapy becomes one of the few places they feel genuinely seen and heard without judgment, and that alone can be profoundly healing. Beyond this immediate sense of support, therapy helps you develop skills and insights that ripple out into every area of your life.
Through this process, you begin to:
- learn to recognize patterns in your relationships that haven’t been serving you and work to change them
- understand where your anxiety or self-doubt actually comes from and establish new patterns for yourself
- find healthier ways to cope with stress and difficult emotions so you can live a fuller, more fulfilling life
Therapeutic work isn’t just about abstract concepts and ideas. It can help you to change how you move through your days, how you communicate with the people you love, and how you treat and relate to yourself. It can positively transform your sense of Self, others and the world.
Therapy also supports personal growth that can be difficult to achieve on your own. With a skilled therapist as your guide, you can explore all parts of yourself (including if not especially, those you may have been avoiding), challenge beliefs that have been holding you back, and experiment with new ways of being in the world. You might discover strengths you didn’t know you had, grieve losses you never fully processed, or finally give yourself permission to want something different for your life. This process isn’t always comfortable – growth and change rarely are – but it’s deeply worthwhile.
Building this strong therapeutic alliance – the trusting, collaborative relationship between you and your therapist – is one of, if not the most, crucial factors in creating meaningful change and positive outcomes in therapy. This connection is so valuable that some folks maintain an ongoing therapeutic relationship throughout their lives, even during periods of relative calm and stability. That way, they always have that established, trusting connection with their clinician ready when life has its inevitable twists and turns.
Building a strong therapeutic alliance- the trusting, collaborative relationship between you and your therapist- is one of, if not the most, crucial factors in creating meaningful change and positive outcomes in therapy.
Many people find that the benefits of therapy extend far beyond solving the specific problem that brought them in. Yes, your anxiety might decrease or your relationships might improve, but you also develop a deeper understanding of yourself, more compassion for your own struggles, and a greater sense of agency in your life. You learn that change is possible, and you have more control than you realized. This broad and far-reaching impact is one of the most meaningful (and often under-discussed) effects of therapy. It can shift your entire understanding of yourself and the world around you for the better.
Final Thoughts
Therapy isn’t reserved for people who have reached a breaking point or can articulate exactly what they need help with. It’s for anyone seeking growth, understanding, or support, whether you’re navigating a specific challenge or are simply curious about exploring your inner world more deeply.
You don’t need to be “struggling enough” to deserve this space, and you don’t need to have your reasons perfectly figured out before walking through the door. The beauty of therapy is that it meets you wherever you are. If you’re feeling a gentle pull toward it, that curiosity alone might be reason enough to explore. Your journey is valid, your feelings matter, and you are worthy of the support you’re considering.
If you’re ready to begin your therapeutic journey, we invite you to reach out to the therapists at Sōhum Therapy. We’ll meet you where you are, and accompany you as you begin this process of growth and discovery.
Olivia Jessar
Olivia Jessar helps clients heal from relational challenges, family patterns, and identity concerns. Using psychodynamic and person-centered approaches, she offers a warm, inclusive environment for self-exploration and stronger relationships. Olivia’s practice is rooted in feminist and anti-racist values, helping individuals understand how culture shapes self-image and guiding them toward clarity and self-trust.
