5 Reasons Why Psychotherapy Can Fail

Psychotherapy can fail for various reasons, but the error is always relative. Just having started the process is positive. The goal of improving oneself and the interest in it represents a love for oneself and a will to get better.

It is not easy to make the decision to exhibit your whole inner world to someone you do not know. You know the person is professional, but that does not change the fact that most people need to know the person better before sharing feelings with them.

If we go to a psychotherapist, it’s because we need help. But sometimes something just goes wrong and does not work.

No matter what the cause of the error, you should always give it another try. In this world, there is never anything that goes exactly according to plan. The important thing, however, is that we are set on getting better. It is always a good idea to keep in mind the primary reasons why psychotherapy may fail.

Lack of commitment is one reason why psychotherapy can fail

The main role in a therapy session is taken by the client. A person who goes to a psychotherapist should come up with a basic commitment. It is most of all commitment to oneself.

The commitment lies in meeting on time and doing everything one can to overcome his problems. The key is a desire to understand the causes of the problem and the way they can be solved. However, this is not always the case.

2. Too high expectations for the psychotherapist

One of the most common reasons why psychotherapy can fail is too high expectations for the therapist. Some clients expect to get answers to all their problems. That’s not how it works at all.

Therapists are not wizards, gurus or fortune tellers. They are not guides either. Their job is to accompany us and lead the way so that we can get to know ourselves better. They are trained in helping anyone who asks for it. The goal is a more objective and intelligent interpretation. So they do not have the power to change anyone’s life.

Too much resistance

It is normal to get engrossed in our problems and bad solutions. Every problem has secondary benefits, no matter how serious they are. Sacrifice mentality can, for example, help to justify failure to act or hesitation to change. Therefore, it is difficult for us to let go of our problems.

This is what we call  resistance. In most cases, it is an unconscious decision. This resistance can cause us to drop the sessions when we reach a critical point. Psychotherapy can fail if the client does not overcome their resistance to change.

4. Incorrect motive

A therapeutic space allows us to reflect on the way we think, feel or act. The goal is to identify the factors that make us uncomfortable. It also helps to find other ways to perceive our personal reality and create a richer and more fulfilling life.

These are often the reasons why people do not always start therapy. Sometimes they do it because they want to solve a particular problem. They do not want to explore their interior. Instead, they seek to find a way out of a dead end. 

One example is that they want their partner to change and they go to a session to figure out how to do it. Psychotherapy can fail if the motive is of this type.

5. A bad relationship with the psychotherapist

The relationship with the psychotherapist is purely professional. However, that does not change the fact that it is a bond between two people. Therefore, there is never a guarantee that the chemistry between the two people is good. Psychotherapy can sometimes fail for that reason.

Good therapy is a gift that everyone should give themselves in between. It is not something that solves all your problems or guarantees happiness. No one is guaranteed happiness. But it is a space that can make people think. A cleansing of your inner world and organizing your life is always positive, even if the psychotherapy fails.