Essential Truths Your Mental Health Therapist Wants You to Know:

1. Therapy Is Not About Fixing "Brokenness": It's about acquiring skills to enhance happiness, health, and productivity in your life.

2. Addiction and Mental Health Challenges Are Not Defining Traits: They are conditions you're facing, influenced by various factors.

3. Mental Health Is Often Complex: It's important to seek professional guidance due to multiple contributing factors and comorbid conditions.

4. Finding the Right Therapist is Paramount: Therapy is a personal journey, requiring a therapist you trust and feel comfortable with.

5. Challenging Your Mindset Is Essential: Therapists aim to help you overcome problems, not just validate opinions.

6. Confidentiality Is a Core Principle: What you discuss in therapy typically remains private, except in cases of harm to self or others, child neglect/abuse, or legal requirements.

7. Active Participation Is Key: Your commitment and willingness to implement strategies are key elements of your therapeutic journey.

8. You Remain in Control: While therapists guide and support, you hold the steering wheel in your therapeutic journey.

9. You Are Not Alone: Many people struggle with addiction and mental health challenges. Therapists have experience working with diverse concerns.

10. Identifying Triggers Empowers You: Understanding triggers can help you avoid or respond to them healthily.

11. Progress Is Not Always Linear: Ups and downs are common in therapy. Feeling better and worse at times is part of the healing process.

12. Therapists Recognize Signs of Relapse: Their training equips them to spot indicators and provide effective support.

Remember, your therapist's goal is to help you lead a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Their guidance, combined with your commitment, can help you navigate challenges and achieve your well-being goals.