I’m too Emotionally Drained for a Counselling Session… Should I Cancel?

Yes… and No!

You always have a right to not go to counselling and setting boundaries is hugely important. If it feels too much, and you are just too drained to do anything, it would make sense to not want to sit down and be vulnerable with your therapist.

However, this would be a great discussion to have with your counsellor and could be a great chance to have a ‘different’ type of session.

Folks who go to counselling often feel that they need to show up to counselling with something to talk about, or they have to show up with their ‘mask’ on, or they have to show up ‘ready’.

This feeling makes sense, but therapists can do a better job if they get to know the WHOLE you, including the you that doesn’t want to talk about shit, is feeling low or introverted, and/or is feeling like keeping everyone and everything out.

Letting your counsellor know, ‘I’m coming in today, but I don’t want to talk about anything big…’ can be highly beneficial to your and your counsellor’s relationship, which all research shows is a massive part of the growth process.

By letting your counsellor know this, what you have just done is set a great boundary, and your counsellor will respect and appreciate this. For setting clear and healthy boundaries is a huge part of mental health… what better place to practice something so important!

Everything that is talked about in the therapeutic hour is ‘grist for the mill’. I’ve had sessions where we talk about favourite movies and characters in movies… this may feel like a waste of time, but can be revealing for us folks who work in this industry. In fact, that session, helped with a breakthrough that came weeks later.

When you show up to counselling… you don’t need to show up. You have no responsibility to the counsellor except to be who you are at any given time…