Therapists Reveal 30 Things People Are Often Embarrassed To Tell Them But That They Actually Hear A Lot Of

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Cain told Bored Panda that talking to a therapist you've just met is like emotionally undressing in front of someone you don't know. "It's natural to feel nervous at first," Dr. Cain said. "But it gets easier to share as you feel more comfortable with your therapist. It is okay to let the process unfold naturally, at a pace that is comfortable for you."

The psychologist highlighted that it's very helpful to keep in mind that the therapist is there to help you. However, "if there is something you don't want to share, it's okay to tell your therapist that you're not comfortable sharing about that yet," she added.

"If you are not sure whether you should share more about something, one thing you can do is ask your therapist if it would be helpful to give more details about it."

Reddit user DnDYetti, one of the mental health professionals whose reply you can find on this list, agrees that there may be a big variety of reasons why a client holds back information from their therapist.

"I can't realistically touch upon them all, however, I feel that the most common reason is the fact that the client is engaging in a brand new environment with someone whom they have only just met. Thus, that fear of judgment is likely front and center in their mind until they get to know their therapist better and get the opportunity to build up a therapeutic alliance," DnDYetti told Bored Panda. "This is especially true for individuals who have had a long history of perceived judgmental interactions within their life. This connects highly to what is known as an individual's 'learning history.'"

"Simply put, what an individual has experienced in their daily life will be ingrained into their understanding over time and impacts their behavior (positively or negatively). If an individual has consistently experienced judgmental people and has had a long history of distrust with those around them, then they are highly likely to be defensive and fearful of opening up to others in the future. Every therapy experience holds so many unforeseen possibilities, and that is why a fear of opening up is not something that we take personally as therapists. Instead, we take the time to understand why that fear is present, and we work with you to help you navigate that fear, regardless of why it's there."

DnDYetti said that it takes time to find a good therapeutic match, as there are many different types of therapists and differing therapeutic models that they use.

The numbers, however, are reassuring. Overall, 4 in 10 American adults (42%) have seen a counselor at some point in their lives and a third (36%) say they're at least open to it, although almost one in four (23%) say they would never see a counselor. Millennials and Gen X have more interest in counseling than Boomers and Elders. 21% of Millennials and 16% of Gen X are currently engaged in therapy.

Though the reason why a person seeks therapy may vary, Americans consistently indicate the experience was very positive (47%). Another 29% say it was somewhat positive, with a small minority calling it somewhat (5%) or very negative (1%).

In order not to fall in the last two categories, DnDYetti advises to "take the time to find someone who works well with you and encourages a collaborative experience where you can feel comfortable about each step of your therapeutic journey towards a happier and healthier life."

"There may be times where clients tend to overthink about a situation, and therefore end up discussing a topic for an extensive period of time," DnDYetti said. "If that happens, we may have to reel you back in for a moment to focus on a particular word you stated or the way something was expressed, if we find it clinically significant. Regardless, I don't think that it is really possible to 'overshare' when a client is progressing through their therapeutic journey and processing everything that comes along with it. The ability to externally communicate about events (past, present, or future) alongside any thought processes that come to mind for that client is all quite healthy to express towards their therapist."

According to the Redditor, everyone has their own timeline for their therapeutic journey, so don't feel as if you have to progress at a certain speed. It's not a competition. "There will be days of perceived 'success' and days of perceived 'failure', but you'll find your way in your own time," they explained. "It's your journey, and we're just there beside you to help guide you when you feel lost or scared taking a path less traveled."