It is estimated that nearly 60% of individuals who seek therapy stop going after one visit. Which means there is a good chance that you are one of those. Maybe you heard something you didn’t want to hear. Or maybe you expected the issue to be fixed in a single visit. If this is the case, you may find yourself asking, “What do I do if therapy doesn’t help?”
If that question has crossed your mind, it’s worth noting that therapists come in all shapes and sizes. Specialties run the gamut, with concentrations in marriage and family issues, LGBTQ+ concerns, music therapy, art therapy, play therapy, addiction specialists, and more. They are different ages, with different cultural backgrounds, languages spoken, and a broad plethora of personalities. So if you haven’t had a good experience with one therapist, be willing to try another.
If you don’t feel like your issue was a simple personality conflict or having the wrong experience base, bear in mind that some mental disorders are classified as “treatment resistant”. In these situations, when existing and traditional treatment options have been attempted without expected progress, know that researchers are constantly seeking to better understand where and how mental illnesses arise, and new treatment options are announced nearly every day. In the field of depression alone, treatments such as alpha-wave stimulators and the approval of Spravato nasal spray have shown great promise for those who may have otherwise given up on treating their depression.
In the end, mental health professionals offer hope. If you have had the courage to try one visit, please be willing to try again. Failure isn’t the lack of progress…it’s the lack of ever trying.
