Exposed: Myths About Therapists

When you close your eyes and think of the word “therapist,” what kind of image comes to mind? Maybe a therapist you know in your life. Or maybe the stereotypical white-bearded, Freud-esque person. No matter who you thought of, all of us hold our own ideas about who therapists are and what they are like.

Here are common myths about therapists:

1. Mind-Reader

Many may think of therapists as having the power to read your mind and know everything about you. This, however, is untrue. Your therapist only knows as much as you tell them. While there may be some extra bits and pieces they pick up on, they aren’t able to dive into your brain and pull out all of your thoughts and experiences.

2. Analyzer

Another common myth about therapists is that they are constantly analyzing everyone all the time. You’ll hear people say, “Oh you’re a therapist? Don’t analyze me!” Therapists generally do take note of their clients’ non-verbal signs to get a better picture of what is going on and how they are doing. However, they use these signs as only a small piece of their information and do not analyze every single person they come across in day-to-day life.

3. Picture Perfect

When people think of therapists, they may think that they are just the perfect person. They never get stressed, they never struggle, they never mess-up. The truth? Therapists are people just like you. And just like all people, therapists are not perfect.

4. Carbon Copies

Have you gone to one therapist who wasn’t a good fit and you found yourself thinking, “Therapists don’t help, they’re useless!” If this sounds familiar, you’re probably feeling like all therapists are going to be just like the one that you didn’t have a good experience with. However, stop and think for a second about people. Some you like, some you don’t, right? Like all people are different in their own ways, so are therapists. A key part of getting something meaningful out of therapy is to find a therapist that you connect with and feel comfortable talking to.

5. Gossiper

When thinking about starting therapy, have you ever hesitated because you thought, “Are they really going to keep my secrets or are they going to tell everyone?” You’re not alone in having this concern and we can assure you, your information is safe with your therapist. All therapists are bound by confidentiality, which basically means all of your conversations and information are kept private. There are few times when that confidentiality must be broken, which will be outlines in a future blog and will be covered explicitly by your therapist. So fear not, therapists keep your secrets sealed!

Have you had any of these thoughts regarding therapists? It’s totally normal to have some questions and concerns about your therapist when starting therapy. If any of these questions come up, please feel free to talk openly with your therapist about them so you can work together to help you feel more comfortable. Like this blog, check out our other blog on myths about therapy!