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What questions, concerns, or hesitations do you have when it comes to signing up for therapy?
Concern: Being told my issues are above their qualifications yet again.
Hesitation: Only being told things I already know and receiving no beneficial mental health support.
Question: In the event I do get paired with the appropriately qualified person..
What do I do if a therapy session dives into a deep trauma, the session ends with me deep into those feelings and I spend the duration between sessions drowning in it and unable to function for the non-negotiables in my life.
@adaptableYard2374 That’s a really valid concern, and I appreciate how thoughtful you're being about this. A good therapist will help pace the work so you're not left overwhelmed after a session—they’ll help you ground before ending and teach you tools to manage between sessions. It’s absolutely okay to talk about this concern upfront with your therapist so they can support you in staying safe and functional as you process deep emotions.
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC i m not comfortable to go for therapy after i was being laughed at by a female therapist in past for being a male and having cptsd i m just scared after that to seek therapy what suggestion you would give?
@EmpathyS I'm really sorry that happened to you—it should never have. Your pain and experiences are valid, and you deserve support without judgment. It's okay to feel scared after that. When you're ready, consider looking for a trauma-informed therapist who understands CPTSD and respects your experience. You might also feel more comfortable starting with a male therapist, or someone with strong reviews from male clients. You deserve to be heard with compassion.
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC
I would love to improve myself in therapy but the barriers that i have do not make it possible. Barriers like mental health stigma and my parents not understanding the mental issues i face. So i have always been a self learner, lots of videos from youtube and i gained quite a bit of knowledge and worked on myself by myself, and then i found this platform 7cups and the support i received has been phenomenal. I'm so grateful for all the listeners that helped me🫶
Other barriers i would say are cost ofcouse. And sometimes if therapists are from a different background, they may not get your cultural and religious background. I had the same problem here too with the listeners😅
And then you may just have a fear of going to a therapist and talking about your deepest things, being vulnerable with a stranger etc. When your own family mistreated you, used ur vulnerability against you and you cant be open with them and lost ur trust, then it becomes even harder to trust a stranger..
So yeah, thats pretty much what stops me from going to therapy. Apart from that, i really respect therapists and people helping in the mental health field. You all are making the world a better place (i aspire to become one too hehe, im currently taking a degree in psychology, hopefully my own past experiences can be useful in helping others)
@ivoryBalsam492 Thank you so much for sharing all of that so openly. It’s incredibly inspiring how much work you’ve done on your own despite the barriers you’ve faced. Your self-awareness, resilience, and compassion really shine through—and it’s beautiful that you want to use your experiences to help others one day. I’m so glad 7 Cups has been a supportive space for you. And you're absolutely right—trust takes time, especially when it's been broken before. You're already on such a powerful journey, and I have no doubt you’ll make a real difference in the field of mental health.
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC
Hello, and thank you for opening up this question. My experience has been awful when it comes to therapy. I am 73 years old, and Mental Health has in the past been very traumatizing. To answer your question with no ill intent to anyone. My response would have to be based on a one-on-one experience. I have tried therapy here and outside of this group, online and in person. Paid out of pocket hundreds of dollars, only to get Protective custody called on my family for no reason that made sense. I was told that my right thinking was messed up and that she had gone to school to learn her job, which kept shipwrecking us both. She threw the things that I shared with her back in my face, which hurt. I had to feel like I had to walk on eggshells with her to stay out of trouble. She never wanted to talk about what I wanted from therapy. Plus, she knew that what she said and did was private, so she got away with this mess. I tried to cancel and block her, but I was not given my money back. I was just assigned another woman who was barely available, and we had no real connection. She was nice but had nothing constructive to bring to the table. I have tried a few others, but I just got tired of trying. Have not found many trauma-informed therapists who know how to treat Dissociation and IFS, which was just diagnosed two years ago.
So now, Therapy is frightening to me and my IFS.
Is therapy supposed to address what we came for? and under lying stuff as if arises?
@WorkingitThrough2 Thank you so much for sharing your experience—it’s deeply valid, and I’m truly sorry for the harm you’ve endured in spaces that were supposed to help. You absolutely deserved care, understanding, and a space centered around your needs—not fear or judgment. And yes, therapy should focus on what you come for, while also gently exploring deeper layers if and when you're ready. Your voice and goals matter. I hope, if and when you're ready, you find someone truly trauma-informed who can meet you and your parts with the respect and safety you deserve.
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC
hello! I am glad i found this. Thank you 🙏
These are few of the things that make it harder/impossible for me to engage in therapy:
- i can’t openly talk about anything that happens in my mind(what i feel, what i truly think, everything thats going on inside must remain inside), not even in my private journals
- fear of judgement (even tho a good therapist would never, they’re still human. And its in our nature to judge that which we don’t understand. You could argue yes, but they are trained so they understand better than an average person, or they have the ability to fake it so that you don’t feel it. Yes, but they still human and regardless of what they might say out loud, what about their personal thoughts?
- i can’t have a meaningful conversation without crying. I get anxious as i’m typing this, i sweat and get very agitated. Imagine a face to face session. Its embarrassing and i feel bad about it.
- even tho i know there is something wrong, as in what i experience and feel is real, what if they tell me that i’m just spoiled or imature or even worse, i don’t want to help myself and other stuff that might make me defensive.
I’m not completely oblivious, i did a lot of research in hopes that i’ll be able to help myself, but i’ve been fighting this for very long and few years ago i realized it’s impossible without help. I can’t control my thoughts so none of mindfulness i try, nor the awareness of my situation, help. Yet nothing changed, i still can’t reach for help. Which only throws me deeper into the pit. Thinking well there is no hope for me. They say you can’t go anywhere else but up when you’ve reached your bottom. Somehow i feel like i manage to dig a new pit inside the pit and it goes down forever. I need help to break the circle
This is why i came here. I always found it easier to say stuff under the safety of anonymity. I tried once to engage in text therapy and it all went well till i got to the payment point where it felt like ok this is really happening. And i got freaked and told them i will continue another time. Never came back. Couple of years later, i found this place. I thought wow even better! Well, i spent some time in sharing circles, group chats and forum, nothing changed. I still can’t engage in therapy. Not even in a private 1 on 1 with a listener.
I’m so sorry for turning this into sort of a vent. I don’t know how to be short on point. i also hate this about me.
@Fluffymonster101
My heart feels for you! I’m praying for you to hang in there and I know it’s easier said than done! You are not alone because it feels like you spoke the words from the depths of my soul that I can’t seem to put into proper words. You are stronger than you realize to still be here in those deep dark ever-growing pits! I wish I could help but I just want to thank you for sharing and giving words to what I didn’t know how to say. I’m praying you receive abundant healing, support, love, peace, hope, joy, and all that you need! 🙏🏻✝️❤️
@Fluffymonster101 Please don’t apologize—you shared something so real and honest, and that takes incredible strength. Everything you’re feeling makes sense, especially after trying so hard for so long. Fear of judgment, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling to open up are all completely valid—especially when you've learned to protect yourself so deeply. You're not alone in this, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you for finding it hard to take that next step. Just being here, opening up even a little, is a step forward. Healing doesn't have a timeline, and you deserve support that feels truly safe, at your own pace.
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC
thank you! I needed to hear that
I do this a lot. (Apologize for pretty much anything) I find it so annoying myself, however i cannot seem to shake it off. I feel guilty for everything in general even things that don’t regard me.
My hesitation comes from not being able to afford it. Even more so it comes from a life time of my feelings/ experiences being invalidated at best by others who I should have been able to trust. I am afraid that will happen even with a trained licensed professional.
@TealPhotog the good thing I have heard about 7 Cups online therapy is you get to choose your therapist and you can change until you find one that suits you.
That is very helpful to know!
@TealPhotog That hesitation makes so much sense—especially after a lifetime of feeling unheard and invalidated. It’s completely okay to feel cautious. A good therapist will work to earn your trust and create a safe, validating space for you. You deserve to be heard and supported, and it’s okay to take that step at your own pace.
Will they be a good therapist?
@GreenLime3141 that is something you can find out for yourself because people need different types of approaches. At 7 Cups online therapy you can change therapists until you find one you feel can help you. They are all licensed therapists so they are true professionals.
@GreenLime3141 That’s a great question—and a really important one. A good therapist is someone you feel safe with, who listens without judgment, and helps you explore your thoughts and emotions at your pace. The best way to know is to give it a few sessions and check in with how you feel during and after. Trust your gut—your comfort matters.
I’m in therapy now, which has been a game changer for me. But for many years I hesitated to prioritize therapy due to cost concerns and also not being able to find a consistent therapist that matched my needs/ were not a good personality fit.
But now I have an affordable therapist who has been helping me a lot! It was well worth the years of searching and I have made tremendous progress in my personality disorders.
@StrawberryHufflepuff that is wonderful that you have found therapy that works for you.
Thanks :)
@StrawberryHufflepuff That's amazing to hear—I'm so glad you found a therapist who fits well with you and is affordable. It really makes all the difference when you feel understood and supported. It sounds like all your persistence and patience have truly paid off, and it’s inspiring to hear about the progress you’ve made!
Thank you! Wishing you the best :)
@AshleyNFlewellenLPC I don't like rehashing things or reopening old wounds, going around in circles 💜🥰
Is it worth the price? What makes growth/accomplihsment