Lathma/Mental_Health_Conversation_Dataset huggingface dataset:
Question: How do you know you have the right therapist for you?
 How would I know how to "train" my therapist to be able to give me what I need from treatment?

Answer: This is a really important question, because you don't want to waste your time and money with a therapist who is not a good fit for you.  I think the most important factor that makes a good therapist match is trust-- do you trust this person to be able to help you meet your therapy goals?  There are few things you can do upfront to test this out, without spending a dime.  First, ask for personal recommendations from friends or others.  If you know someone who had a great experience with a certain therapist, you'll feel more confident in that person right off the bat.  Second, do your online research.  Google the person's name and read everything you can find.  Many therapists are starting to develop more of an online presence because they know that's a way future clients can develop trust without even stepping in their door.  See if they have a blog, social media posts, or even just read the tone of the content on their website.  This might give you a glimpse of their therapy style.  Finally, you can call or email potential therapists and provide a brief overview of your presenting problem and describe what you're looking for in your ideal therapist.  It sounds like you have a specific idea of what you're looking for... most therapists will be honest if they don't feel they're going to meet your expectations.  Some therapists offer free short phone consultations which can help you both decide if you would work well together.  Do your homework upfront, and you'll be well on your way to finding a great therapist for you!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It's more than just normal, it's expected! Quite honestly, there are a very few days where at least one client hasn't cried during therapy throughout the day. -IJP
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes it is absolutely normal!  A good therapist can help your feel safe enough to really identify painful wounds.  There are some things that need to be cried about before they can heal.  Therapists are fine with tears and buy tissues by the case.  That said, if you don't cry during therapy it doesn't mean you are doing it "wrong".  As long as you feel safe and have a sense that your therapist "gets you", and you feel progress during your course of treatment, you are doing therapy "right"!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Absolutely it's normal to cry in therapy sessions. Sometimes clients have stories they never shared with anyone or never said out loud and that results to crying. Crying is a normal reaction to feeling hurt or sad or sometimes angry. I welcome all crying to my therapy room.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Crying in therapy is a natural response, a relief to what you are going through. It is an expression of emotions, which is why you are going to therapy - to express yourself in a safe, nonjudgmental space. Rather than trying to stop crying, sit on the couch with it until it is done and you have finished with the clearing. The energy is not blocked, is moving - a good thing. It's good to cry.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Although not everyone cries in therapy. In my opinion crying is a emotion that some express in therapy. Crying is something that some express when it’s hard to discuss situations that may have never been discussed, When discussing traumatic experiences, and at times crying has even happened to some of my past clients when they have had a breakthrough in their therapy process.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It is generally very normal to cry in therapy, and for many reasons. Therapy should be a safe space to explore emotions as they come up and how you cope with these emotions. I would encourage you to talk with your therapist about crying and to explore your experience of emotions/feelings. Sometimes people will apologize for crying. However, emotions and expression of emotions is part of being human. There is no "right" or "wrong" emotion to have. How we express and cope with emotions is more of something to explore in therapy if it is hindering your life. Either extreme of keeping emotions in and avoiding or feeling like your emotions run your life/struggle to regulate your emotions is something to explore in therapy, as this is often the most distressing and troublesome for people. Hopefully this provides some insight.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It is absolutely normal to cry in therapy. Therapy is a place to be honest about and explore your feelings without feeling judged. Honesty is the only way you will benefit from therapy and that means being willing to look at your true emotions rather than avoiding them.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Absolutely! Therapy is the best time to have the opportunity
to open up and deal with the range of emotions that may be bothering you.
Therapy is a “safe space” to take time out of your normal daily life and
cope with the emotions that are hiding underneath. If, for some reason, you are
not comfortable in therapy, you should address this concern with your therapist
or find someone whom you feel more comfortable opening up with and express
yourself comfortably.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Crying is clearing. It is a release of energy and toxins. Crying is a good thing and a great way to let go and move forward!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Therapy is such a personal process and often brings many emotions to the forefront, so yes, it very normal to cry in therapy.  Often you are talking about your deepest challenges and fears, so it is quite typical to expect some tears when making yourself so vulnerable.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It's absolutely normal.  Therapy provides a space where you can be free to express yourself and experience all of your emotions fully.  Crying is a form of release, and many people feel like they do not have any other space where they can let out their emotions.  Crying can be a healthy way to be present with your emotions.  While not everyone will cry during a therapy session, you're not the first, and definitely not the last.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Dang right it's normal, and even necessary at times.Weeping provides chemical shifts which also shift the experience you're having.  Not only are their physical detoxification benefits to crying, but there are also emotional releases that come with it.Weeping can be the first step to an unclogging of a blockage, so that your energy can flow more smoothly.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: This is one of those cases where there is "no wrong answer."Many people DO cry, while others do not. Some people speak quietly, others may yell, and some find it painfully difficult to say anything at all in a therapeutic setting.My office has tissues readily on hand, and any client who uses them is assured that they are free to express the emotions they feel in a safe space.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: For many people, crying is a stress-release valve. It is perfectly OK to cry in counseling!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: I love to see tears! There's an old saying, "The eyes are the windows to the soul." External emotions are a pretty good indicator of what's going on inside the person, and if tears are present, that often means the person is processing (i.e., moving forward) through their emotions! I'm more concerned when I don't see tears from my clients because that can mean the client is "stuck." So, don't feel bad for crying! You are moving through your emotions to a place of healing!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Cry? Of course you can cry!Therapy is a safe place where you can be who you are with no fear of being judged. Every counselor/therapist is dedicated to protect the confidentiality (with some exceptions) of all that happens in session. Crying helps to release tension and help secure free emotional space. It may provide you with the presence of mind that therapy demands.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Absolutely normal! Therapy should be a place where you can feel safe to explore and express all of your emotions. Some clients may cry easier than others and there is no "right way" to do therapy. I have many clients who cry each session. And I have many other clients who cry periodically. And I have others who haven't cried once. Each person is different however therapy should be a place where you feel safe expressing yourself.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Of course! There are some people who will never cry during sessions and some that always cry. In counseling you may be talking about very vulnerable topics and experiences and it may even be the first time you are talking to someone about your concerns, thoughts, or feelings. It is perfectly natural to cry if you are so moved.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it's totally normal! Crying is a part of processing the tough stuff, no matter your age, gender or background and the therapeutic session is a safe space to do this. Sometimes crying can offer relief or provide room for deeper authenticity in session as you let both your strength and vulnerability shine in alignment.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Crying during a therapy session is not unusual. When we are in a safe environment, such as a therapists office, it allows us to disarm our defenses. By disarming our defenses we are able to feel and express our emotions. Oftentimes, these emotions result in tears.  I personally feel that crying in a therapy session is the one of the most beautiful parts of the healing process.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it is very normal. Some people cry frequently, but not fully. They’re good at crying but never seem to heal from what’s hurting them.Crying is supposed to be good for you. Tears contain toxins, after all. And feel-good chemicals are released in the body whenever we cry tears of sadness.Never judge your feelings while you’re having them; there’s always a reason something’s a big deal to you.Cry for your own pain, not just for others’. Crying in movies and when listening to sad songs is a good way to let off some built-up emotion. But you may not be dealing directly with your own hurts when that happens. Remember it’s okay to cry for yourself. Let yourself cry over spilt milk. You don’t have to wait till somebody dies. You can cry about anything that triggers you, no matter how seemingly trivial.Don’t set a time limit on tears. Your heart will decide when enough is enough. If you connect with the true source of your pain, you’ll find it’s finite. But you don’t get to dictate a time limit for your sorrow. Be patient. Pick up where you left off. If you have to keep a stiff upper lip, perhaps because you’re at work, check in with yourself later and see how you feel. Reflect on the incident in private if you feel it’s unresolved. Don’t stress out if you can’t recapture the pain. Tears are like cats: You can’t lead them on a leash. Speak only kind words to yourself. When you cry, watch for self-critical and invalidating self-talk like this:It’s not that big a dealI’m too sensitiveBig boys/girls don’t cryInstead, say, “I’m sorry” and “I’m with you” and “I love you.” Don’t say these things in order to make yourself stop crying. Say them in order to be compassionate to yourself. Cry in public. If you’ve never cried in public before, you may be surprised to find that many people will be drawn to you. Your tears make you vulnerable, and therefore no threat to others. Kindness is a frequent response to public tears.If you remember just one thing from this post, let it be self-compassion.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, many people cry during therapy!  Crying can offer a type of release as your body reacts to the input of your autonomic nervous system. Some people release endorphins when they cry, which can make you feel better than before.  If you're concerned about how much you cry during therapy, it might be good to discuss with your therapist.  They may be able to make some suggestions of how to honor your feelings in a way that works for you.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it is normal to experience many different emotions in therapy because you are dealing with issues and situations that matter to you. Sometimes you may cry, sometimes you may feel joy, and sometimes you may feel relief. Sometimes you might even feel anger. Everything you feel in therapy can be used to help you learn more about yourself and help you grow.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it is very normal to cry during a therapy appointment.  When you meet with a counselor, you are opening yourself up and sharing very vulnerable sides of yourself.  Through this deep introspection, emotions (sometimes unexpected) can come out and this is completely okay and very healthy.  Research has shown that crying reduces pain by releasing oxytocin and endorphins and reduces stress through the release of stress reduction hormones.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Definitely. Therapy helps us work through the tough stuff. It’s a safe place where we can let our guards down. When you are getting things out verbally, a physical and emotional response is completely natural. Crying is a healthy release. Many people cry during therapy - some perhaps once in a while, and others may every session. Wherever you are on that spectrum, it is absolutely normal and you are not at all alone.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, absolutely. In therapy you will be delving into topics and feelings that are often suppressed throughout daily life. As you explore many emotions may come up, anger, disappointment, grief, frustration, sadness, to name a few. These and many other emotions often lead to crying and your therapist will be there to hold space and support you through it. Crying is a very healthy release of energy so feeling comfortable enough with your therapist that it happens during session is a great thing!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It's absolutely normal to cry in therapy. I imagine that you are being vulnerable and open to exploring some deep seeded issues. Also, it may be a good sign that you feel safe and held with your therapist that you are able to freely express those strong emotions.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Change is about giving a new meaning to past experience, to allow for the emotions we stored in our body to be freed. Crying is normal and one way to process emotions to help let go and integrate our experiences.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yep. Counseling can be very emotional at times. I've recommended to clients, on occation, that they allow themselves the rest of the day off after doing trauma work.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Crying in
therapy is definitely normal. A lot of people, if not most, cry in therapy. Why
does it happen? During therapy you'll explore your thoughts and emotions. Some
of them will be pleasant: joy, hope, excitement, etc., so you will smile and
laugh. Others may be more unpleasant, such as grief, sadness or anger, so you
may feel like shouting or crying. It's healthy to accept and feel all your
emotions and to express them in appropriate ways. Crying is a good way of
expressing sadness, disappointment and helplessness. If you try to cut off some
of the "negative" feelings, you are likely to also cut off your
positive ones and feel numb as a result. Crying in therapy speaks to your
ability to relax and let go in the presence of another human being (essential
for healthy relationships!) and it also speaks to your therapist's skills at
making you feel safe and comfortable. Good for you! It's your therapy and you
can cry if you want to!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it is very normal to cry in therapy. Expressing your feelings is very cathartic and allows you togain a deeper understanding into yourself and how the issue is affecting you.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: I would say that's the whole point of therapy!  Cry your heart out.  Therapy should be a place where you feel ok to be vulnerable when you are working through your stuff.  It's when your mind and your heart finally meet and you make the connections you need to make.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It is normal to feel an array of emotions in therapy. Most people use therapy as a way to process their life's struggles and often times this results in them crying during session. Crying is a way to release those negative emotions and to cope with what is happening in life. We have come to believe that crying is something bad at times and so have conditioned ourselves to avoid crying out in public places. In therapy though, where there are no such expectations and where you can be open and honest about how you are feeling it is normal to cry.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, definitely crying is normal during therapy.   Anyone in the midst of new awareness of how they've been hurt, or feel despair or great sadness from burdensome life situations, naturally will feel tears come up.Therapists are familiar with people crying during a session and will know how to be present for you while you sort through your painful emotions.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Therapy is by nature a safe place to discuss difficult, or painful memories or experiences and thereby it is normal that feelings of all kinds, including sadness, loss, frustration, disappointment, etc may arise.  This is part of processing and bringing closure to things that may have been pushed aside for a lifetime and can now be faced and dealt with.  Change too is often not easy, and can lead to crying, whether from frustration and set back...or also from joy and accomplishment!
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: This is a great question! I often wonder about what normal really means. Counseling is a personal process where many emotions can be experienced by people. I I do not believe it is just you who cries in therapy. Therapy can bring out many emotions such as laughter, anger, frustration, relief, grief, sadness, and many more emotions. Talking to your counselor about your experience might provide insight and healing for you. If crying surprised you and you feel comfortable that might be something you could bring up with your counselor.
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: Yes, it is normal to cry during therapy, it is a time of catharsis, letting things out, shedding our skin, dropping our weights and just to let you know, even therapists sometimes feel like crying in sessions. Although people often cry or become upset, it is in no way a measure of "good therapy". C
Question: Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer: It is very routine to feel all of the different emotions in therapy.   I have had clients cry in therapy out of happiness, sadness, love, joy, and from laughing so hard!  Yes, crying is a normal part of therapy for many people.
Question: What are the basic skills a good counselor needs to have?

Answer: 1) An awareness of their own incompetence and inexperience with events in your life;2) An awareness of how the body, mind, emotions, spirit, and others all intertwine and activate one another;3) How to work to use these connections to have you improve your experience...Oh yeah, and there's some listening in there, as well :)
Question: What are the basic skills a good counselor needs to have?

Answer: Here is a list of skills I use every session, and a short explanation of what they are:Reflecting: Paraphrasing what clients have said so that they know you understand themValidating: Helping clients to know that their point of view is valuable and rationalClient-centered talk: Maintaining focus on the client in therapy sessions, rather than a therapist talking about themselvesAttending: Nonverbal or verbal cues that indicate I am listening to a client (i.e., nodding, leaning in, affirmations)Reframing: Helping a client to see a problematic behavior or situation in a different way (usually only works well after they feel heard and understood)
Question: What are the basic skills a good counselor needs to have?

Answer: I think that the most important skill a good counselor has is the ability to empathize (whether that be natural empathy, or trained, empathy is essential.) A good counselor also knows the difference between identifying with their client, and empathizing with their client. An ability to not bring in our own baggage (we all have baggage and most are "wounded healers") into our work, as it's not about us. If it is brought in, it should be in only a way that can help a client.And to listen...specifically to what the client is needing.
Question: What are the basic skills a good counselor needs to have?

Answer: To be non-judgemental, know who they themselves are, be able to step forward and ask questions with ease and grace into painful emotional areas.Also to respect human difference in accomplishing basic life tasks and everyday living.
Question: What are some difficulties that a counselor can encounter when dealing with a client?

Answer: Dang right!  :)Heh heh, and correct me if I'm wrong... and, if we are truly professionals, we should be able to handle even the most bumptious of folks, now shouldn't we? ;)It's like a mechanic who knows his way around every inch of an engine... he'll know what to do... heh heh heh...