The therapeutic setting allows participants to openly explore issues with the confidence of privacy and confidentiality and without fear of judgment. Clients often seek therapy to address stress or trauma in their life or to cope with ongoing conflict that they have been unable to resolve alone. Although some people worry about feeling uncomfortable, most find the therapeutic experience to be enjoyable and effective in building one’s skills to effectively face life’s stressors.
Therapy provides the unique experience of an empathic listener who is trained to reflect observations back to the client for self-reflection. In this way, therapy is different from communicating with friends or family who might have a personal or emotional investment. Whereas most relationships require an emotional give-and-take by both parties, the therapy client can remain the focus of attention without fear of monopolizing the relationship. By sharing information openly and honestly, the client can receive feedback to help recognize patterns and develop solutions to problems.
