Does Individual Therapy Help?

Individual therapy is often recommended to people regardless of whether they're neurotypical or neurodivergent. Over the years, I've heard many people question whether or not it's helpful. I even asked this myself once upon a time. I recently came to a conclusion on the matter.

The short answer is that it depends on you and the therapist.

The long answer, on the other hand, is slightly more complicated.

I’ve found that individual therapy is only helpful if you are working with a therapist who can work with you and what you need out of therapy. Over the years, I’ve had 9 therapists I have worked with consistently. Out of the 9 I’ve worked with, 6 of them did not have a therapy style that suited me and my needs as a client. However, do not take these numbers at face value alone. Various circumstances led to each of those 6 not being therapists that suited what I needed out of therapy at the time I was working with each of them. I will also say that my choices of therapists were extremely limited for a time due to where I was in the public school system and the options provided to me by my university.

When it comes to whether or not a therapist will benefit your mental health journey, determine what you’re looking for out of therapy. Are you looking for someone to validate your feelings? Are you looking for someone to help you process trauma? Are you looking for techniques to cope with anxiety, depression, etc.? There can be more than one reason for pursuing therapy. I’ve used it over the years to process past events I did not understand, process current events, and find ways to cope with my anxiety. That’s what I’ve needed therapy for.

I’ve found that mental health can be a winding road with many different twists and turns, as well as straightaways. You may find that you start therapy with a therapist, and they aren’t a good fit for your needs, or that what you need from therapy isn’t what you thought you needed. That’s okay. It happens all the time. If that therapist isn’t working for you and your mental health, you should find one that is helpful to you. You may even find that your needs as a client change over time. That’s okay too. Nothing is set in stone. We each will change over time, as will your therapy needs. Maybe you’ll find that you no longer need it or need it for different reasons than when you started. These things happen.

Whatever you need in your mental health journey, try to pursue it. Being where you want to be mentally will most likely benefit you more than it will benefit anyone else.