Topic: counseling-fundamentals

Question: Is it normal to cry at therapy?
Is it normal for people to cry during therapy, or is it just me?

Answer (from Danielle PalmerRelationship & Individual Counseling):
It's normal to experience many intense emotions in therapy. Sometimes those emotions lead to tears- so, long story short... yes! It's also quite common for emotions like frustration and even anger to be felt during the therapeutic process. Change and processing is hard. Allow the emotions to come through naturally and discuss them if it seems like it would be helpful.

Answer (from Acelli Crippen-KokCounselor for teens and adults):
Participating in therapy can be incredibly vulnerable at times, and can evoke lots of emotions that may or may not lead to tears. It is okay to experience these emotions in and outside of the therapy space.  Therapy should be a safe place for you to be yourself, be in the moment, and give freedom toward healing and personal growth.

Answer (from Dr Traci KochendorferTime for you to " Claim IT" with over 15 years in health and wellness, Ph.D Psy.D D.D. F.P.L.C. recognized on TV and Magazines,):
Crying - Shedding of Tears...9 Ways Crying May Benefit Your HealthDetoxifies the body. Reflex tears clear debris, like smoke and dust, from your eyes. ...Helps self-soothe. Crying may be one of your best mechanisms to self-soothe. ...Dulls pain. ...Improves mood. ...Rallies support. ...Helps you recover from grief. ...Restores emotional balance. ...Helps baby breathe. ...Helps baby sleep. ...

Answer (from Deborah HarlandYou Deserve to be Happy):
It's not just you... crying is one way our bodies attempt to heal. There could be many reasons why the tears come but there is nothing wrong or abnormal about crying in therapy. Just the opposite as many times there is a deep need to mourn or simply let the pain out, but not everyone has a good support system in place. Hopefully, therapy would give you a place to allow those feelings to finally surface and then start to feel relief from not having to hold it all inside anymore. Regardless of if it is a physical injury or emotional pain, crying is a normal response to your body wanting to heal. Be gentle with yourself, you deserve care and nurturing. Allow the tears as much as you need.

Answer (from Fred RogersQue Sera Sera Counseling ):
Absolutely Normal to cry during therapy !

Answer (from Michele RameyMRTherapy, LLC- Because Help Is One Of A Kind):
It's not uncommon and you're not alone. Many people cry during therapy, it's one of the coping skills your body has to release. Hope this helps!

Answer (from Philippe BowerHealing with Philippe):
Crying at therapy is a normal reaction to processing through complex emotions and trauma in life. I have often encouraged individuals to cry as a physical sign of the release of emotional pain.

Answer (from Eric Rhinehart, LMFT, LAADC, CCMI-M, CIPER Interventions & Therapy Services):
Absolutely! In fact it is encouraged to let it out and embrace the hurt.  Trust me when I say this, "you're not alone." Many of my patients cry, especially the men after seeing that there is no shame in crying in session. It is almost as if they're seeking permission to be able to let go.  My thoughts on crying is that in order for someone to appropriately process the pain, hurt and suffering one might be experiencing you have to work through it and let it all out. Crying is cathartic and healing.  Therapy is one of the safest places to be vulnerable and peel back the layers of the onion, so you can get to the roots of the issues that have been weighing on you. Let it out and let go so you can move forward and feel the weight lifted off your shoulders,

Answer (from Patty FioreNext Step Counseling):
Therapy is a safe space where clients can allow themselves to experience feelings that they have not, otherwise expressed elsewhere. Crying is absolutely "normal" and it allows the client to process their feelings.

Answer (from Ashley BryantRestoring the mind, the couple, and the family.):
It's normal to cry. Crying is a very healthy and cathartic process that allows for you to fully experience whatever emotion you feel, whether it be tears of joy or tears of sorrow. To cry in therapy is quite normal and there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. Crying is a part of being human. It's a part of expressing how we feel and it is a beautiful thing.

Answer (from Shanice StephensonYou Are Your Biggest Breakthrough Yet!):
Crying in therapy may or may not be different than crying outside of therapy. Crying is something described as a sign of weakness, however depending on who you ask and your own beliefs, crying is actually a sign of strength, courage and vulnerability. If you are crying or experience tearfulness while in therapy that proves that you were strong enough to share something that may have been difficult or that you waited to do this all week before seeing your therapist again. Maybe you have been so strong for others that you felt overwhelmed. Maybe you just needed to let it out because you haven't in a while. Maybe in your therapy session you just experience that 'aha moment' that represents a cry of joy. Crying is a catharsis that assist with self-soothing and helps to relieve pain.Crying is normal. Continue to let it out and allow your therapist to be there to support you!

Answer (from Marianne Cook, EdD, LICSWPsychotherapy for Higher Education):
There's a reason why I tell all of my clients that I have a lifetime supply of tissues in my office! Yes, it is completely normal to cry in therapy. Many of us go through our days trying to hold it all together, keeping our emotions inside so that we don't have a meltdown in the grocery store or a business meeting. Therapy is a safe place to let those feelings out, which means that we see a lot of tears in our work. Therapy can also involve confronting difficult experiences from our lives that we've been trying to ignore or suppress, which can lead to emotional outpourings. A competent therapist will be able to support you safely through this process so that you can move forward with your healing. We therapists are trained to bear compassionate witness to the full range of human expression. So please feel free to let those tears flow in therapy!

Answer (from Christopher NoahHere to help in anyway I can):
Absolutely if your crying it means that you are releasing your emotions we counselors are trained to handle that kind of thing

Answer (from Abigail EckI'm so grateful you're here. Finding a therapist is scary, so I'd like to make this comfortable for you.):
YES. Absolutely it is appropriate to cry during a therapy session (or all of them). Crying is a physical representation of acknowledging, expressing, and releasing emotion. Our bodies are very smart and often know what we need to heal. The urge to cry is our body telling us it may be time to let some stuff out.

Answer (from Lisa Provorny):
Your therapy sessions and goals  are for you and about you. They are not meant to be compared to anyone else's sessions and goals. Crying can occur in many different scenarios, such as when you're happy, relieved, have just heard the funniest joke, and of course, when you're sad. All of these feelings are valid and your tears are part of how your body experiences those feelings. If you're often sad and working through a lot of sadness in your therapy sessions, it is reasonable to expect that you may cry a lot during therapy.If you're crying, and you aren't able to connect it to an emotional experience or feeling, that is something to discuss with your therapist. It can sometimes be difficult to name our feelings, and the behaviors get ahead of our thinking brain to try and communicate for us. Maybe your tears are trying to tell you something about your feelings. Either way, your therapy sessions should be a safe space for you to cry, feel, investigate, and connect.