Things We Think We Know About Mental Health

How many of the following have you heard or maybe believed yourself?

MYTH: Therapy is only for people with serious mental health problems.
FACT: People seek therapy for many reasons: anxiety, low mood, grief, relationships, stress, life transitions, parenting, self-understanding or simply feeling that something isn't quite right. You don't need a diagnosis or a crisis to benefit from having a space to explore what you're experiencing.

MYTH: If I can still function, I must be fine.
FACT: Functioning and feeling well aren't necessarily the same thing. Someone can work, study, care for others, socialise and meet their responsibilities while struggling internally. Sometimes ‘I'm coping’ means I'm managing to keep going, not that I'm okay.

MYTH: Other people have it worse, so I shouldn't complain.
FACT: Someone else's pain doesn't invalidate yours. We don't need to rank distress before we can acknowledge it. If something is affecting your wellbeing, relationships or everyday life, it deserves attention, even if someone else is facing something different.

MYTH: Talking about difficult feelings will only make them worse.
FACT: Avoiding difficult emotions can sometimes provide short-term relief but what we don't address doesn't necessarily disappear. In a safe therapeutic relationship, you can explore difficult experiences gradually, at a pace that feels manageable. Therapy isn't about forcing open every door at once.

MYTH: Going to therapy means I wasn't strong enough to handle things myself.
FACT: Independence doesn't have to mean doing everything alone. Seeking support can be an active decision to understand what's happening, develop different ways of coping or recognise patterns that have become difficult to change on your own.

MYTH: My childhood is over. There's no point talking about it now.
FACT: Therapy isn't necessarily about blaming the past for the present. Earlier relationships and experiences can influence how we understand ourselves, respond to conflict, form relationships, recognise safety and cope with emotions. Sometimes understanding where something came from gives us more choice about what we do with it now.

MYTH: A therapist will tell me what to do.
FACT: Therapy isn't supposed to hand someone else control of your life. Counselling is collaborative. A counsellor can help you explore experiences, notice patterns, consider possibilities and understand yourself more deeply while the decisions remain yours.

MYTH: If therapy is working, I should feel better after every session.
FACT: Not necessarily. Some sessions may feel relieving; others may leave you thoughtful, emotional or uncomfortable. Exploring difficult experiences isn't always comfortable. What matters is that the process feels safe, purposeful and respectful  and that you can talk with your therapist when something doesn't feel right.

MYTH: If I start therapy, I'll be opening a huge can of worms.
FACT: You don't have to arrive ready to tell your entire life story. You decide what you're ready to explore. A first conversation can simply begin with ‘I'm not really sure why I'm here but something doesn't feel right.’ That's enough to start.

MYTH: I should wait and see if things get worse before asking for help.
FACT: You don't have to reach breaking point before seeking support. Sometimes noticing that something keeps returning, feels increasingly difficult or is beginning to affect your relationships or daily life is reason enough to become curious about it. An initial consultation doesn't commit you to a lengthy therapeutic process. It can simply be an opportunity to talk, ask questions and decide whether support might be right for you.

Still wondering whether counselling might be for you?

You don't need to be certain you need therapy before having a conversation about it. Sometimes the first step is simply wondering whether things could feel different.