The Top 7 Myths About Therapy in Austin, TX
Stories, legends, and myths. All abound in the Austin, TX area—stuff that’s actually true (like the story of Matthew McConaughey’s au naturel bongo performance), stuff that’s based on truth that then took on a life of its own (like the legend of Janis Joplin’s disorderly but productive escapades at the Pink Palace), and stuff that never was true but gets perpetuated anyhow (like the myth of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar being the inspiration for the layout of the grounds near his statue on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake).
While any curious Austinite can fact-check the stories and legends they hear about the world around them, myths are so believable that they often fly under the radar and are assumed to be true. That’s a problem when the myths stand in the way of people getting their wellness needs met.
As an art therapist who provides therapy in Austin, TX, I hear a lot of myths that need to be busted so Austinites can understand mental health services without all the Hollywood hype! Hollywood is in the business of creating myths, but just remember that fiction is often stranger than truth. 😊
Myth #1: Being in Therapy Means There’s Something Wrong with You
A lot of people still entertain the idea that being in therapy means you’re crazy. If you look up “crazy”, it can mean a LOT of things, and some of them are quite positive.
Being out of the ordinary? Distracted with desire or excitement? Absurdly fond? Passionately preoccupied? These definitions came from Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, and they all sound like qualities that are celebrated in Austin, TX.
No matter how you define crazy, being in therapy doesn’t necessarily mean anything about you—other than the fact that you’re invested in living your best life. And who wouldn’t want to be invested in that???
When a client I work with asks me about the “crazy” issue, I find it helpful to figure out how they’re defining “crazy”. It’s always negative, which lets me know the client might have been on the receiving end of spoken or unspoken criticism and judgment. That opens the door for healing work to be done around these experiences so the client can develop kinder ways of thinking about themself.
Myth #2: Other People Will Judge You for Being in Therapy
You might prioritize what those nameless, faceless “other people” will think of you when they find out you’re in therapy. Well, unless you actually tell people you’re in therapy, how will they know?
Of course, your therapist will know that you’re there, but all licensed therapists in Austin, TX are bound by state laws that mandate confidentiality. Sadly, people sometimes choose to forego therapy because they’re worried about the “stigma” and wind up suffering needlessly because of this erroneous belief that they’ll be looked upon negatively for wanting to improve their lives with professional support, when in fact all those “other people”—many of whom are in therapy themselves—are oblivious to the situation.
I take client confidentiality very seriously and have safeguarded my practice accordingly—perhaps even excessively. My intake paperwork thoroughly covers the steps I take to assure privacy so clients will know how committed I am to their protection.
Myth #3: You’ll Have to Talk About Painful Things in Therapy
Some people think that going to therapy means they’ll have to dive into very sensitive emotional events and drown in the memories and feelings. Not true—especially in today’s world of therapy services.
Therapy in Austin, TX has evolved since its early days and now focuses on building skills and developing the therapeutic relationship. Those two things are primary in the journey, as its important for clients to feel like they’re in control of what happens in their therapy sessions. A trusted other who can look at you without judgment and encourage you as you work on your goals isn’t going to shove you into the deep end of the pool and watch you flail around.
It’s kinda like swimming lessons; first you start where you’re comfortable, usually at the shallow end of the pool. As you gain confidence in your ability to manage tasks at the shallow end, you gradually build upon your skills and take on new challenges in slightly deeper water.
You and you therapist will work together to determine when you’re ready for a new level of difficulty, so please don’t worry about drowning. You’ll have a lot more control in the situation than you might think.
As an art therapist. I don’t have to rely on words to make the magic of therapy happen. The clients I see can work at both the shallow end and the deep end of the pool without having to talk about painful things. Sometimes releasing those experiences through carefully selected art materials or methods can expand a client’s comfort zone and neutralize unpleasant memories and feelings, all without the need for speaking about the unspeakable.
Myth #4: Therapy in Austin, TX Will Last Forever
Of course, there are people who worry that getting into therapy means they’ll be in it forever. While it’s true that you might know someone who enjoys therapy and always seems to be in it, please know that the goal of therapy is graduation.
A therapist is not supposed to be your lifelong companion. They’re in your life to help you get from point A to point B, and if the path between those two points was super easy to find, you would have discovered it by now.
Your therapist in Austin, TX will keep your end goal in mind, envisioning you as capable of achieving it even when you can’t see that yourself. And your therapist will help connect the dots when it seems like the trail of breadcrumbs was eaten by grackles. Eventually you’ll find point B coming into view, and that means graduation’s on the horizon!
The clients I work with can see their own progress in visual form, as their art products document their journey in therapy. Occasional reviews of these images will highlight all the ground that’s been covered and remind clients of how far they’ve come. And since we start our relationship with graduation in mind, we talk about it a lot and prepare for it in advance.
Myth #5: Therapists in Austin, TX Can Read Your Mind
It’s not uncommon to hear rumors that therapists can read minds. No…if that were true, all therapists would work for the CIA or the FBI or some other government agency where mindreading might come in handy. I’ve been an art therapist for 30 years and haven’t heard of any such entity hiring mental health professionals, so I think it’s pretty safe to say that therapists aren’t trained to read minds.
They’re trained to read body language, facial expressions, and behavioral cues, but that’s completely different from knowing what people are thinking. Anyone who’s attentive and curious enough can read the same things therapists can, though it’s important to realize that errors can be made if the reader doesn’t take elements like culture into consideration.
My experience as an art therapist is that people like me are particularly targeted as mind-readers, since others often assume that art therapists “read” client artwork. We’re trained to understand visual language, but that’s not the same thing as looking at an image and knowing what someone is thinking. Similarly, radiologists are trained to understand x-rays but don’t necessarily know why they’re seeing what they’re seeing.
Myth #6: Therapy is Expensive and Comes with Empty Promises
I’ve heard it said that therapists will take your money, promising that you’ll feel better. The truth is that, yes, therapy does come with a price tag, as does most any professional health care service.
The promising-that-you’ll-feel-better part is where things get wonky. No therapist can promise that you’ll achieve a particular outcome. That’s because no therapist has a 100%-guaranteed crystal ball.
Lots of things may come up in your life while you’re in therapy, and some may distract or deter you. And if you’re in therapy but aren’t putting in the effort to get your money’s worth, it’s unlikely that you’ll see results.
The therapist might have to call you out on this, and conversely, it’s totally ok for you to let your therapist know if you don’t see progress happening. That means the two of you might have to revisit your treatment plan (the roadmap that helps you get from point A to point B) or consider transferring your care to another therapist so you can feel better about your potential for making progress.
If the clients I work with aren’t making progress, nobody’s happy. That’s why I focus on outcomes in every session and try to prevent things from going off the rails. I can make adjustments early on if I know things aren’t as they should be, so I ask for feedback from clients.
Myth #7: Your Therapist in Austin, TX Will Heal You
It’s a complete misunderstanding of who’s supposed to do what when people get into therapy and then sit back and nod, expecting the therapist to do the heavy lifting. But how would the therapist know what to lift?
Your therapist is there to keep your goals in mind and support you in working toward them, but the heavy lifting is really for you to do. Think about it this way: if your brain is shaped by experience (which it is), how much would your brain be shaped by sitting and nodding compared to lifting?
Yup, therapy is like weight training! You start with what you’re capable of and gradually begin to add on to this, expanding your ability all the while. You won’t get stronger if you watch the therapist lift weights, though it could be entertaining.
Art therapy is an active process; the clients I work with aren’t really able to sit back and nod. There’s brain science behind what it means to enlist one’s eyes and one’s hands in the process of making change. That’s where the healing comes in, and the client is the one who ultimately becomes the healer.
Get a Free Therapy Consultation in Austin, TX
I hope the info above will encourage you find your ideal therapist in Austin, TX. Are you ready to take action and get started on creating a life you love? Contact me to schedule your complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. Having the right plan with the right therapist can lead to great outcomes, so our convo will focus on your goals and understanding how online art therapy can help you reclaim your radiance.
If you think anxiety, depression, and stress are just something to live with, I hope you’ll think again! Check out my About page for info on how I work with people who are struggling to create new results in their lives and go on to discover the secret sauce that’s been hiding in them all along!