Therapy often seems to people like it is some sort of mystical experience with a sagely mental health professional who is unwaveringly capable of helping resolve upsetting problems. We often discuss therapy as if it were a magic fix. As if you go into your therapist's office and share your struggles, receive insight, and walk away feeling healed. If only it were that simple.

The actual reality is that therapy works best when it's collaborative. Research indicates that approximately 75% of individuals who engage in treatment benefit from it, according to the American Psychological Association, which is encouraging; however, those benefits are far from automatic.

As a therapist, I've learned that the real magic happens not when the therapist is the expert "fixing" someone, but when the process becomes a shared journey with mutual curiosity, trust, and honesty.

That starts with understanding what the client wants from therapy—not just during the intake process, but throughout the entire therapeutic........

© Psychology Today