What makes psychotherapy different from talking to a friend? It is wonderful to have caring friends. We can benefit greatly from them. At the same time, psychotherapists offer something unique – privacy, dedication, and expertise.
Psychotherapists provide a high level of privacy and confidentiality so you won’t have to worry about others overhearing or sharing your most inner life details that you wish to keep private.
Psychotherapy is a time that is dedicated to only you, uninterrupted by phones calls or other daily life events. You can talk about anything that is on your mind without worrying about whether you are making any sense. There are no taboo topics.
What separates psychotherapists from the most caring friends is their expertise to understand and help you work through your challenges. Trauma, in particular, is difficult to resolve solely by empathy and talking. It benefits greatly from trauma specific approaches, such as those that I included on my Trauma Therapy page.