You have been searching for a right fit therapist in the Orange County area. If you want information on how to find a therapist in Orange County, check out my blog. Maybe you’ve never been to therapy, counseling, or coaching. You know you haven’t felt your best self and wonder if you can move forward with therapy. You might have some anxious thoughts about it. “Do I have time for therapy? I think I’m doing okay, maybe I don’t really need therapy? How do I tell someone what is going on in my life? It’s embarrassing. I never shared any of these problems with anyone. Maybe I need to exercise more.”

Perhaps you found a few therapists and are reaching out to them. Starting therapy can be scary. The thought of opening yourself up to a complete stranger is weird. You probably have a ton of questions about the process- that is completely normal.

Usually it’s an initial assessment, signing consents, and getting some background information. Therapists want to get a full picture of you and the issues you have been having. Questions about previous treatment/ therapy. Sometimes you can include other family members or medical professions to be part of the treatment, however, you would have to sign a consent to release your information.

Therapy works best if you follow up at least once a week. It’s not a typical doctor check-in. I found the longer the gap in therapy, the more it feels like starting the process all over again.

Imagine you have been carrying a lot of stuff inside. When you start talking about it, you may get super emotional. This is normal. Instead of holding it in, you are releasing the tension, sadness, and frustration. I have even had clients share that they felt tired. It’s really difficult to deal with the emotions, however sharing it with your therapist allows you to slowly release the pain, feel supported, and allow the healing process to start.

There are crisis situations that therapist cannot keep confidential due to safety issues (suicide ideation, abuse). Confidentiality helps clients to really express themselves and be vulnerable to work through their issues.

Every individual’s therapy process is different. It’s really hard to predict how long therapy can last. This is an ongoing discussion with your therapist.

Being supported and understood by another person that is part of the healing process. Most of the time I hear clients want to be able to express themselves and not feel judged. People tend to give suggestions to fix issues rather than sitting with them. There are good moments and bad moments in life. The goal is to be able to tolerate and cope with difficult emotions such as depression, anxiety, grief, and anger. Being happy 24/7 is unrealistic but you can learn to cope with the day-to-day stress and figure out how to find happiness on a regular basis.

Sometimes people want to start the process, however, it can be uncomfortable. There is a chance that you decide to stop because you feel better or don’t have enough time to fit it in your life. When you are ready to be really invested in therapy, you will do it. Be patient with yourself.

I hope this helps you understand what to expect from counseling and therapy. If you are still feeling anxious about therapy or have more questions, call Jane Pearl Lee, Orange County Therapist at (949) 771-4461 for a free 15 minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to help.

If you are looking for an anxiety therapist in Orange County, you can read more about how I can help on my website. My specialties include career driven professionals, caregiver stress, Asian American psychology, anxious teens, and social anxiety.