Frequently Asked Questions
What’s it like, talking to a psychologist?
There are many, many preconcieved notions as to what it’s like and what one does when visiting a psychologist. And the only incorrect answer is that there is only one correct way to do it.
Psychologists tend to be adaptable but we also like to rely on previous experiences and educations and will try to find the best approach and best method to help you. But if you feel that it isn’t the way that works for you then it’s far better that you say so than that you try to hide your discomfort and discontent.
The first session is an excellent time to ask any questions you might have but also to let it be known what you expect from the therapy and what is important to you during the sessions? You need not know this ahead of time but if you allready know that you prefer being asked direct questions then that’s good for us to know. Or if you want to be interrupted and brought back on track when your mind wanders or if you prefer to find out together where your wonderings might lead you. Even if there are any particular phrases that you prefer be used or avoided in the conversation.
Psychotherapy is often defined by extensive and profound exploration and analysis to gain an understanding of how you as the client functions and may change. And the responsibility for this effort lies squarely on the psychologist. But it may help considerably, especially in the beginning, if you want to let us know how you experience the conversation and what works and doesn’t for you.
When should I seek therapy?
Therapy is something that is better started a bit too soon than a little too late. Adressing the issues early usually makes for both an easier and more effective process. It may spare us unnecessary suffering and missed opportunities and might keep us from making the mistake of adapting our lives to conform to and even enable that which makes us feel bad. Far better to adress and remedy our ills than to accept them as a part of life.
It’s easy and even common in our lives to find ourselves in times that feel so difficult that we don’t think we can cope with them. We can experience crises so overwhelming that our past experiences and current skills aren’t sufficient to handle the situation nor how it makes us feel. And this can cause subsequent feelings of inadequacy, vulnerability and more that may cause us further pain, grief and uncertainty about ourselves and the world.
We can experience discomfort and limitations in our lives due to how we think, feel and act in different situations. We might suffer from a negative self image that keeps us from partaking in or feeling appreciated in social and professional situations, causing us to avoid people and places we may both want to and benefit from experiencing. A great many things may cause us discomfort, distress, depression and alarm and we may even believe that we cannot do anything about it, now or ever.
If that happens it is important to seek help from others, to tell them and talk to them about it and let them help. Sometimes it’s enought to talk with someone close to us or even just someone kind to us. And sometimes we need even more qualified help in identifying the problems and doing something about them. A few sessions may be enough to gain a good enough understand of ourselves and our situation to be able to deal with the problems on our own. Other times it may be necessary with a longer therapy to get to the root of the problem and to have continual support in both understanding and fixing our lives so that they can be the way we want them to.
ToGus Psykologi 