Questions People Ask Before Starting Therapy

How do I know if therapy is right for me?

If you keep noticing the same thoughts, emotions, or relationship patterns repeating, therapy is often the next step. Many people come to therapy not because things are falling apart, but because insight alone hasn’t led to change. Therapy helps you understand what’s driving these patterns and work with them differently. You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit.

What’s the difference between psychotherapy, counselling, and psychology?

Psychotherapy tends to go deeper into emotional patterns, relational history, and how experiences have shaped you over time. Counselling is often more short-term and problem-focused. Psychology can include assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment approaches. At LOOP, psychotherapy focuses on understanding patterns, emotional regulation, and meaningful change, not quick fixes. You can read more about how psychotherapy is practiced at LOOP on our approach to therapy page.

What kinds of problems do people come to therapy for?

People come to therapy for anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties, emotional overwhelm, burnout, grief, and feeling stuck or disconnected. Others come because they struggle with self-worth, boundaries, or repeating the same relationship dynamics. You don’t need a clear label or diagnosis to start. Therapy often helps clarify what’s actually going on underneath the surface.

What does “attachment-based therapy” actually mean?

Attachment-based therapy looks at how your early relationships shaped the way you relate to yourself and others now. It focuses on patterns of safety, closeness, distance, and emotional regulation. Rather than asking “what’s wrong with you,” it asks “what makes sense given your history.” The work is about creating new, safer ways of relating over time.

Why do I keep repeating the same emotional or relationship patterns?

Patterns usually form for a reason, often as ways of staying safe or connected earlier in life. Even when they no longer serve you, they can run automatically. Understanding them intellectually is one step, but change happens when the emotional and nervous system layers are involved. Therapy helps you work with those deeper layers, not fight against them. These patterns are often explored in both individual therapy and couples therapy, depending on how they show up in your life.

Can therapy help if I’m high-functioning but feel stuck or disconnected?

Yes. Many people who appear to be coping well externally feel flat, overwhelmed, or disconnected internally. High-functioning does not mean fulfilled or regulated. Therapy can help you understand why things feel effortful or empty, even when life looks fine on paper. This is a very common reason people start therapy at LOOP.

What’s the difference between talking about problems and actually changing them in therapy?

Talking helps you make sense of things. Change happens when insight is paired with emotional experience, regulation, and new relational patterns. Effective therapy works with thoughts, emotions, the body, and the therapeutic relationship itself. That’s often where lasting shifts occur. Our therapeutic approach focuses on working with emotions, patterns, and regulation, not insight alone.

How long does therapy usually take?

There’s no single timeline. Some people come for focused work over a shorter period, others stay longer to work through deeper or more complex patterns. Therapy is collaborative and adapts as you go. The aim is meaningful change, not endless sessions. Research suggests that 50% of people show improvements in as little as 8 weekly sessions, and 75% of people are measurably improved by 26 sessions. With that in mind, we want you to not need us. Our aim is to get you to a baseline of wellbeing that allows you to move forward in the world, as quickly as possible.

Is online therapy effective compared to in-person therapy?

Research shows online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for many people. What matters most is the quality of the therapeutic relationship and the approach used. Online therapy also allows you to engage from your own space, which many people find grounding. At LOOP, all therapy is designed specifically for online work.

How do I choose the right therapist?

A good fit feels safe, collaborative, and respectful. You should feel understood, not analysed or rushed. It’s okay to ask about a therapist’s approach and experience. Choosing a therapist is about finding someone you can work with honestly over time. You can learn more about our therapists and how they work on our team page.

What if I don’t know what to talk about in therapy?

You don’t need to arrive with a script or clear agenda. Not knowing where to start is very common. Therapy helps you slow things down and notice what’s actually present. Often the uncertainty itself becomes part of the work.

Is therapy only for people in crisis?

No. Many people start therapy because they want to understand themselves better or prevent things from getting worse. Therapy can be proactive, not reactive. Starting earlier often makes the work feel more spacious and less urgent.

What should I expect emotionally when starting therapy?

Starting therapy can bring relief, curiosity, and sometimes discomfort. You might notice emotions you’ve been pushing aside or patterns you hadn’t fully seen before. This is a normal part of the process. Therapy moves at a pace that supports safety and stability, not overwhelm.

If you’re ready to take the next step, you can learn more about individual therapy or couples therapy at LOOP.