Growth is painful, and that’s just the way life is. In psychotherapy, emotions such as anger, shame, or even repulsion are normal. But why does it have to hurt so much and be so much of a struggle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychotherapy hurts so much emotionally because it forces patients to confront ugly truths about themselves. Often, this will involve revisiting traumatic events. Then, the work involved in fixing those issues requires a lot of discipline and dedication.<\/strong>Â <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could be reading this because you’re considering psychotherapy, but you’re not sure about the pain you might have to endure. This article gives you a no-nonsense view of what to expect, warts and all. Read along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post, we'll cover:<\/p>\n
When you go to therapy, your main goal is to get better regardless of what might come up. That means that when you open up about a present moment in time, there might be painful memories that are connected to this moment that will come up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Painful memories are difficult to deal with and can create a lot of physical stress as well. Think about a time when you suffered some sort of trauma. Without reliving it while reading this article, try to think about how that trauma felt and the feelings you have around it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If it feels like a wound that is still raw, even after several years, then it is likely that this memory is holding you back in life. Psychotherapy aims to bring up these painful memories and help you deal with them in a controlled and guided manner. The therapist will give you some tools that you can use to heal the feelings surrounding your painful memories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychotherapy also can be painful when you’re dealing with new trauma or painful experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re just starting therapy as a means to heal a fresh experience, it’s going to hurt a lot, and it will create quite a bit of stress and anxiety. However, try to remember that psychotherapy is a lot like putting hydrogen peroxide on a fresh wound. It will sting for a bit, but in the end, it will feel a lot better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
