Can Therapy Make You Feel Worse?

Therapy is often hailed as a powerful tool for personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. It provides a safe space for individuals to explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. However, the therapeutic journey isn’t always smooth sailing. In some cases, people may find that therapy makes them feel worse before they start feeling better.

In this post, we’ll delve into this topic and explore why therapy can sometimes elicit difficult emotions, the importance of pacing, what to expect during therapy, and the distinction between short-term discomfort and long-term progress, conflicted therapy goals, and how to address if you do end up feeling worse.

Difficult Emotions

Therapy can bring up a wide range of emotions, including sadness, anger, fear, and frustration. Delving into deep-seated issues and exploring painful memories can stir up intense feelings that were previously avoided or ignored. It’s important to remember that these emotions are a natural part of the healing process. By allowing ourselves to fully experience and process these emotions in a supportive therapeutic environment, we can gradually work towards resolving them and achieving emotional well-being.

Session Pacing

Therapy is a journey, and it’s essential to respect the pace at which we can comfortably navigate through it. Sometimes, therapy may expose deeply held negative core beliefs, making us feel overwhelmed or even destabilized. A skilled therapist will recognize this and work with us to establish a suitable pace. They will provide guidance, support, and coping mechanisms to help manage these difficult periods. By adjusting the intensity and frequency of therapy sessions, therapists can help to ensure that clients are able to navigate their healing journey in a way that feels manageable.

What to Expect

Therapy is not a quick fix, and it’s crucial to have realistic expectations. In the early stages, therapy may initially exacerbate our distress as we start to confront and explore sensitive issues. However, as we progress, therapy equips us with tools and insights to cope with our challenges effectively. It offers a safe space to gain self-awareness, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and acquire strategies for personal growth. Remember, therapy is a collaborative process, and building a strong therapeutic alliance with your therapist is key to achieving positive outcomes.

Short Term Versus Long Term

It’s important to differentiate between short-term discomfort and long-term progress in therapy. While therapy may temporarily amplify difficult emotions, it is crucial to assess whether this discomfort is an integral part of the healing process or if it stems from an ineffective therapeutic approach. Communication with your therapist is vital in understanding the purpose and trajectory of your therapy. In the long run, therapy should empower you to make positive changes, improve your emotional well-being, and enhance your overall quality of life.

Conflicting Goals

Sometimes clients come to counselling with multiple expectations and goals that may be in conflict, or goals that may conflict with the therapist’s professional obligations and hopes for the client in treatment. For example, sometimes clients with eating disorders, substance use disorders, or violent relationships attend therapy and are undecided about parting with the high-risk behaviour or relationship. Often, being faced with two conflicting truths increases an individual’s anxiety or discomfort. This anxiety or discomfort can actually be a positive sign of progress in therapy as the client begins to acknowledge both truths but may lead to feeling worse initially.

What to Do If You Are Feeling Worse

If therapy is making you feel worse, it’s important to communicate this openly with your therapist. They are trained to handle such situations and can help you navigate through these challenging periods. Together, you can explore the reasons behind the intensified emotions and work on adjusting the therapeutic approach if needed. Additionally, practicing self-care outside of therapy sessions can be helpful. Engage in activities that bring you joy, spend time with loved ones, engage in hobbies, or seek support from a trusted support system. Remember that therapy is a process, and it’s normal to have ups and downs along the way.

Take Aways

While therapy can be transformative, it’s important to acknowledge that it may sometimes evoke difficult emotions and temporarily make you feel worse. It’s crucial to approach therapy with patience, self-compassion, and open communication with your therapist. By working collaboratively, you can navigate the challenging aspects of therapy and ultimately experience profound personal growth, healing, and a renewed sense of well-being. Remember, the therapeutic journey is unique to each individual, and with time, dedication, and support, you can emerge stronger and more resilient on the other side.