The Stigma of Therapy
“You’re seeing a THERAPIST?” Damien screwed up his face in distaste as the boys kicked a soccer ball around the vacant lot down the street from Parker’s house.
“It’s not like I had a choice,” Marcos complained. He jammed his foot at the ball and sent it shooting over toward Parker. “My mom said I had to go. Ever since the divorce, all they do is go to work and go to therapy.”
“Is she hot?” Damien asked. Marcos glared at him, and Damien raised his hands defensively. “The therapist man, not your mom!”
“It’s a guy. So, no.” They kicked the ball around in silence for a while.
“I saw a therapist after my sister died. For a while.” Parker said it quietly but neither of the other boys challenged him with the usual joke or sarcastic reply. The ball passed from one to the other, tossing up dust as it went. “It helped.” No one else said anything until Damien brought up the football game from the other night. They played until Parker’s dad opened the front door and yelled that it was time for dinner. That night in bed Marcos couldn’t stop thinking about what Parker had said, that it had helped. Could it really help him too?
In our story, Marcos experiences something called “the stigma of therapy”. The dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person”. Think of the negative thoughts or reactions most people have when they learn someone has spent time in prison. That’s a stigma. The stigma of therapy often frames therapy itself as shameful (akin to airing your dirty laundry to strangers) or the people who go to therapy as crazy (Gionta, 2008).
The truth is that most of us who go to counseling aren’t dealing with a mental illness. What we are dealing with are overwhelming situations in life or an intense amount of conflict in a relationship. People can seek out support from a therapist for anything from career issues to grief, romantic problems or burn out, and caregiving for an unwell family member (Gionta, 2008).
There are different approaches to therapy so not every therapist will help you process what you’re going through in the same way, but in general, seeing a licensed therapist is almost always a good idea. These individuals are specially trained to help you unpack the things that weigh you down the most AND teach you how to not pick them back up again (Gionta, 2008).
It can be hard to do something you know probably won’t be responded to positively by friends or family. If that does happen, try to remember that it’s only their opinion, not a fact, and it’s probably at least partially a stigma. Therapists and counselors truly want to help you if you’ll let them.
Reference: Gionta, D. (2008). The stigma of therapy. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/occupational-hazards/200806/the-stigma-therapy.
Challenges/Points:
There can be a stigma to therapy that shames those who benefit from it.
Seeing a therapist doesn’t mean you are crazy or mentally unwell. It means you want help and we all need that from time to time.
Therapy is an important way to stay healthy, just like eating good foods is a way to stay healthy.
Questions:
Have you seen a therapist before?
Would you ever consider seeing a guidance counselor or therapist for support?
What do you think your family’s opinion about therapy is?
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