Making the decision to go to therapy for the first time?

Why Does the Therapeutic Relationship Matter?

A therapeutic relationship involves close interaction between a therapist and a client. This relationship, also called a therapeutic alliance, is an essential part of the therapeutic process because it sets the stage for all psychotherapy work and subsequent therapeutic growth.

People typically seek therapy for a variety of reasons. One of the key reasons is when their emotional or mental health challenges begin to interfere with their daily lives.

Therapy can help you to:

1. develop a deeper relationship with yourself,

2. understand and shift behavior patterns and

3. learn how to cope more effectively with intense emotions.

Despite the amazing positive impacts of therapy, starting psychotherapy can feel very intimidating. You may be concerned about opening up in front of someone who you’re not familiar with. Despite being aware that psychotherapy is confidential and nonjudgmental, opening up might still be challenging. For this reason, finding a therapist that you can connect and be vulnerable with can make the process a lot less scary.

What matters most in therapy is the therapeutic relationship/alliance. Therefore, when looking for a therapist, it is okay to try different therapists for size and fit.

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