I’ve been seeing a therapist regularly for the last 5 years and I honestly could not imagine my life without her. I trust her. I value her. I even invited her to my wedding because she was that pivotal in helping me through my love story with Lane.

But I am also aware, as I travel and new people, that attending therapy for the first time can be a really scary thing. It can be daunting to find a therapist, make the appointment, and actually show up.

I decided it was about time we shared our honest experiences with therapy in this space so others seeking answers, hope, and other opinions might be able to find them here.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with Honesty Hour, this is a blog feature where you and I get to engage in the comments with one another and other readers! It’s basically a party of thoughts + opinions. A dialogue. A chance to connect. Each Honesty Hour post features a question or a theme and I really value your input + wisdom.

If I could tell people something about therapy (and I only had the opportunity to say one thing) then it would be: I didn’t know at the very beginning that therapy can be a bit like dating. You need to find someone you match with, someone who you feel comfortable with when sharing your problems or current life affairs. If you don’t trust the person or get a weird vibe from them then you cannot expect to open up as fully.

I used to have a therapist when I was very young who I didn’t connect with at all and that made it really hard to open up or accept help from her. I had another therapist, right after college, who would read my blog and psychoanalyze me based off what I was writing. That didn’t really help me either. It wasn’t until I met my therapist who I currently see on a monthly basis that I realized there are lots of fish in the sea and you can be more choosy to find the right fit. Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. You might have to visit a few therapists before you find one that really fits your needs. Don’t quit on the first try!

Honesty Hour:

In the comments, I want to hear what you think:

Do you attend therapy?

If not, what questions do you have? Maybe someone here can provide some solid words of wisdom.

If you do attend therapy (or have in the past), what is one thing you wish you knew about therapy before starting or something valuable you learned along the way?