Unveiling the Hidden Impact: What Really Happens to Your Body After Therapy - Video Transcript

Hi everyone, I'm Kristen, the anxiety therapist. And today I want to talk about the aftermath of therapy. So, understanding what happens to us on an emotional or physiological level after a therapy session.

What prompted this video is a conversation I had with a friend a few weeks ago. She was describing how she felt after coming off of a session with her own therapist. It wasn't necessarily a great feeling, which is something I've heard from many of my own clients.

She suggested that I do a video about this to educate people about the process and what might happen after therapy. When I refer to therapy or counseling, I mean one-on-one therapy with a therapist and a client.

Therapy is a powerful tool for personal growth and healing. It helps us navigate through emotional challenges, confront past traumas, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. However, it's important to recognize that therapy can evoke certain physiological responses in individuals.

Common Side Effects After an Emotional Therapy Session

In this video, we'll explore some common effects that someone might experience after an emotional therapy session and shed light on why they occur. It's crucial to emphasize the importance of self-care during the therapy journey.

Mental Exhaustion

The first effect is mental exhaustion. When we're in therapy, we often confront things that we either have been unaware of or have been avoiding for a really long time. So we're delving into some deep-seated emotions, unraveling complex issues, and engaging in a lot of introspection. As a result, it's really common for people to feel mentally drained after a therapy session. The process of self-reflection and emotional release can consume a significant amount of mental and emotional energy. Therefore, this exhaustion might manifest as feelings of fatigue or being really tired, reduced concentration, or just feeling a need for rest. It's important to acknowledge, accept, and honor these signs and allow yourself that time to recuperate.

Emotional Release

The second effect is emotional release. Therapy aims to uncover and process suppressed emotions, which then allow individuals to heal and grow. During a session, it's common for some intense emotions to surface, and this can lead to a cathartic release of emotion. That's actually what my business is named after - Cathartic Space Counseling. Catharsis is just this release of emotion. This emotional release can look like crying, shaking, heightened sensitivity, and similar experiences. It's important to note that this emotional purging is a normal part of the healing process and is actually indicative of progress being made. Allowing yourself to experience and express these emotions is crucial for personal growth. Often, we tend to internalize our emotions, leading to a pressure cooker situation. If we have suppressed emotions for a long time without allowing them to come out in some way, it may lead to a tipping point or overflow, where emotions come out in a bigger way, perhaps during or after therapy.

Heightened Awareness

The third effect is heightened awareness. As people engage in therapy, the goal is to become more attuned to their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. This heightened self-awareness extends beyond the therapy session. It potentially leads to a greater sensitivity to one's environment. You might notice additional changes in your body, such as an increased heart rate, shallow breathing, or muscle tension. It also means becoming more in tune with these physiological or bodily responses to emotional triggers. Developing this skill is essential because recognizing these cues can help people develop healthier coping strategies outside of therapy.

Temporary Discomfort

The fourth effect is temporary discomfort. Therapy, while being a valuable and cathartic experience that can create positive change, can also be intense and challenging. We explore painful experiences, delve into difficult emotions, and more. It's not uncommon to experience some temporary discomfort during and after a therapy session. This discomfort might manifest as feelings of sadness, anxiety, physical tension, and similar experiences. Again, it's important to remember that this discomfort is temporary and also a sign of progress. Instead of avoiding or pushing away uncomfortable feelings, it's important to embrace them and have compassion for ourselves. Engaging in self-care activities like journaling, meditation, or hobbies we enjoy can alleviate this temporary discomfort.

Enhanced Emotional Well-being

Lastly, therapy leads to enhanced emotional well-being. While the immediate aftermath of an intense therapy session might evoke physiological responses and uncomfortable emotions like tiredness or discomfort, we have to remember that the long-term effects often lead to enhanced emotional well-being. Therapy equips individuals with tools to manage their emotions, examine thought patterns, and cultivate a stronger sense of self. Over time, the goal is for individuals to experience a reduction in anxiety, an improved ability to regulate their mood, and increased resilience when challenges or problems arise. Recognizing these positive changes in emotional well-being can serve as motivation during challenging moments that may arise during therapy. Sometimes, people have "aha" moments where something just clicks and they experience positive change or growth. However, progress is often reflective in nature, where we look back over the past few months and realize the positive changes in how we feel and respond to certain situations. It's a slow and steady progress that becomes apparent when reflecting on the therapy journey.

In conclusion, therapy can bring tremendous change and improve one's life. While there may be challenging moments throughout the process, the rewards are worth it. By confronting avoided issues and learning more about oneself, therapy has the power to create lasting transformation.

Feel free to ask questions or leave comments, and if you have any topics you'd like me to cover in future videos, let me know. Your input is valuable to me. For more information about how I can help, visit my website, catharticspacecounseling.com.

I hope you have a good week, and I'll see you next time.