Therapy Q&A with Yasin

Yasin Hassan

A real therapist answers your real questions.

We know therapy can bring up a lot of questions, especially if you're new to it, or not sure if it’s for you. So we sat down with Yasin, a psychotherapist on emote Care, to get their take on some of the most common questions people ask (or think about but never ask).

How do I know if I need therapy?

Great question. Firstly, I personally would never tell someone they need therapy because there’s an undertone of forcefulness that I don’t think is very helpful. Starting therapy is a brave and courageous decision and should be your decision, not someone else’s.

But if you’re weighing up if therapy can help you, I’d recommend taking some time out to visit a quiet, private and comfortable space to write down some thoughts to the following questions.

• Has something happened recently that I’m struggling to come to terms with?
• When I’m not busy, how do I feel in myself?
• Are there certain topics that I think I should address but I find hard to think about or talk about?
• Do I find myself repeating the same patterns that don’t serve me well?
• Am I willing to try something new?

How long does therapy take to work?

This really comes down to what “work” means for you. Some people find some relief and change after a few sessions and some people need something closer to several months or longer to find the changes they want and need.

I’d say take some time to think about the following question. What might need to happen in therapy for me to say I really got what I needed? Write down a few bullet points and if you feel ready, share this with your therapist when you first meet them.

What if I don’t know what to talk about in therapy?

It’s so normal and common to be a bit blank at times in therapy, especially if talking about what’s going on for you feels unfamiliar. You can start by telling your therapist that you feel a bit blank and they can help you to pinpoint something that feels important for you.

And sometimes the things we end up talking about aren’t the things we initially set out to talk about, and that’s ok. Therapy is your space to own and you can take all the time you need to think about what you want to bring each week.

Is therapy worth it if I can only afford a few sessions?

This is such an important question. Working with a private therapist has lots of benefits but it can be quite financially inaccessible for lots of people.

I'd say in some cases, yes absolutely, and in others there could be a bit of a risk. Sometimes even just a few sessions can help you find a level of clarity and awareness that makes a real difference. But if what’s driving our difficulties is a mix of complicated things, some of which might be rooted in early life experiences, then a few sessions won’t be enough to safely and effectively create lasting change.

For example, you might have committed to a block of four sessions to process a recent bereavement. But it might take all four sessions to get to the real heart of the difficulty you’re experiencing. Then you’d have to end and there’d be no more sessions to help you process all the thoughts and emotions you’re now left with.

Before you start therapy, I would gently encourage you to think about what’s bringing you here. I’d then share this with your therapist or therapists during the first time you meet and they’ll be able to offer some gentle insights.

The great thing is that lots of therapists offer low cost options to try to make therapy more accessible because it should be.