It's Okay If Trusting Your Therapist Takes Time

Starting therapy can feel strange. You're sitting with someone you may have never met before and being asked to talk about parts of your life that you may not even discuss with people you know well. So if you don't immediately feel comfortable, that doesn't mean therapy isn't working.

Trust can take time.

You don't have to walk into your first appointment with everything figured out.

You don't have to tell your therapist every difficult thing that has happened to you.

And you don't have to share something before you're ready.

Therapy is a process.

As you become more comfortable, you may find it easier to talk about things that initially felt too difficult or personal.

It’s normal to feel unsure. You might wonder:

Will they understand me?

Will they judge me?

What if I cry?

What if I don't know what to say?

These questions are completely understandable.

Therapy asks you to be vulnerable, and vulnerability can feel uncomfortable especially if you've had experiences that made it difficult to trust people. You don't have to force yourself to feel safe instantly.

Your therapist isn’t expecting perfection. You can have a quiet session. You can say, “I don't know.” You can change your mind. You can tell your therapist that something feels uncomfortable. You can even say, “I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about that yet.”

These are all part of the process. Therapy isn't about saying the perfect things.  It's about having an honest space where you can begin to understand yourself.

Give yourself time as sometimes you may leave a session thinking, “I don't know if I said enough.” That's okay. You may not notice the impact of therapy immediately. Building trust, understanding your emotions, and becoming more comfortable with vulnerability can happen gradually. You don't have to rush it.

If you're considering therapy but feel nervous about opening up, remember:

You don't have to trust someone all at once.

Trust can grow through small experiences of being heard, respected, and accepted. You are allowed to take your time. And when you're ready, you can take the next step from there. 

Tags:
Therapy, Self Compassion Mental Health Support, Counseling