Hello,

I know that I will never meet you, and you'll never be able to meet me. Heck, you probably don't even know that this article is out here in the world. But in case you stumble upon it, I want you to know that this is for you. For the person brave enough to seek out therapy, and who will now sit on the same couch I used to sit on twice a month.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

We probably didn't seek out therapy for the same reason, and probably won't end up going for the same duration of time. Maybe someone made you go, or maybe therapy was your choice. Perhaps you've been to therapy before, or this is your first time. Regardless of all these differences, I wanted to write to you and tell you about what you are bound to experience from your spot on the couch.

You're going to realize that therapy is hard. You'll be sitting in a room with a person you don't know, and have to confide in them your deepest secrets. There will be times where the room will feel small and claustrophobic. Some days you'll be afraid to move even an inch because the room will be too tight. Other days, that room will feel like a playground. You'll look at all the books and at all the games, and wish you had more than just a hour in that office. Those days are some of the best days.

Since therapists implement a confidentiality agreement, your worries and words stay in that office. When they say it is confidential, know that they mean it. They won't go and tell all of their co-workers about your weird reoccurring dream, or even tell your parents about how you get a strange feeling around the holidays. Everything that is said will stay between you and your therapist. But just because therapy is a safe place, it doesn't always mean it is a happy place. I've spent many times crying in that room, and even more times pretending I wasn't crying. Some days, I've gotten so frustrated before that I have sat there on the ground with my arms crossed while on others, I literally could not keep from my anxiety getting the best of me. Therapy is one of the few places where you can be unequivocally you and your therapist is not there to judge you. If you acknowledge and are open with your feelings as they are happening, your time in therapy will be even more successful.

You are also going to meet one of the biggest support systems you could have hoped for. My therapist knew how school was going, what classes I liked and disliked, and about the cute boys I saw on campus. She knew about the auditions I went on, the parts I landed, and the parts that I didn't get. She encouraged me in the areas I was lacking confidence in, and helped me become stronger with each session.

You'll continuously be impressed with your therapist. Mine in particular wore many hats. She knew when I needed to be told what to do about a situation, and she knew when I had to figure it out for myself. Some days my voice would be a whimper, and on other days I had the confidence to move mountains. Therapy is all about taking the bad days with the good days, and learning how to create more of the latter.

I wish I could say it is all going to be sunshine and roses. But it honestly won't be. Therapy takes time, and for good reason. You aren't supposed to get better in one day. It's just not possible. It's really important not to judge a therapist by how your first appointment turned out. The first few appointments are for them to learn about you, and how to help you in the most effective way possible. It takes time to build a relationship, and by going back regularly, you will start to see changes slowly.

I know that you can do this.

The Girl Who Turned Out Just Fine