10 things that are totally okay to do during a therapy session

People often wonder what therapy will look like. Will they be made to sit on a couch and listen to questions like “and how does that make you feel?” There’s a common misconception that sessions are clinical and rigid, and that clients have to be on their best behaviour.

But what many don’t realise is that therapy is often warm, empathetic, and personal. It’s about creating a space where you feel welcome and understood, and where you can share things that feel too heavy or scary to carry by yourself.

Here are 10 things that as a client, you may not realise are totally okay to do during a therapy session.

Ask me to eat with you

When you’re trying to make peace with your body and food, it can be scary to eat certain foods or meals. Perhaps you want to become less anxious and self-conscious when you’re eating with other people, or maybe you want to challenge yourself to eat a food that you’ve always been scared to eat. I’m always happy to sit down with my clients and have our lunch or a snack together. Maybe we’ll talk about why the food we’re having feels scary, or maybe we’ll just chit-chat about your week. Whatever works for you.

Read me something you wrote in your journal

Sometimes the big insights come outside of therapy, when you’re sitting down with your journal late at night and writing down your feelings. If you wrote down any thoughts that you want to share with me, I’d be honored to hear them.

Ask me to help you write a text message or email you’re nervous about sending

Maybe you want to say no to a family gathering where you know you’ll get inappropriate questions about your body. Or maybe you want to ask your manager about a well-deserved raise. Whatever the situation is, we can sit down together and work through the feelings that come up as you figure out the best way to put your message into words that feel genuine to you.

Play me a song that means a lot to you

Whether it’s a song that’s been meaningful to you your whole life or it’s a song that you discovered last week that perfectly puts into words how you’re currently feeling: I’d love to hear it. We can listen to it together and talk about why it holds so much meaning.

Ask me for book or article recommendations on a specific subject that we talked about

There might be a recurring theme that often comes up during our sessions together that you’re interested in learning more about. Or maybe you want to dive a little deeper into how to set boundaries with family and friends. Or perhaps you want to learn more about how dieting can have a long-term impact on mental health and body image.

Whatever the topic is, I’m always happy to give you recommendations on further reading. Whether you want a non-fiction book, a peer-reviewed article, or an interesting interview: I’ll do my research and come back to you with a recommendation (if I don’t already have one).

Show me a TikTok, Instagram reel, or meme

There’s probably a reason why a meme or video made you laugh so hard or shed a few tears. Maybe it brought out something from your past or or maybe it was just really funny and showed you that you’re not the only one dealing with this. Whatever the reason, I’d love to see it!

Ask me to role play a conversation you’re nervous about

Are you nervous about telling your aunt that you don’t appreciate her comments about your weight? Or do you want to practice how you’ll tell your partner that they need to take on more of the household responsibilities? These conversations can be nerve-racking to prepare for, but we can do it together.

Swear

I don’t want my clients to censor themselves, and I’m totally okay with people swearing — as long as you’re being respectful to all genders, cultures, races, sexual orientations, etc., you can drop those F-bombs.

Ask me if we can keep the session light

Not all sessions have to be about your childhood or your deepest fears. If you’re not up for having a big, deep conversation today, then you can tell me during our session or even send me an e-mail ahead of time. There are always lighter topics we can focus on.

Tell me that something I said didn’t sit well with you

Nobody is perfect, and that includes myself. No matter how much I want to get it right, there will be times where I get it wrong. When I said something that was hurtful or discounted your experience, I’m always grateful when my clients let me know.

This also extends to the therapy I provide: if I’m offering you tools or suggestions that don’t work for you, I’m grateful if you let me know. This helps me to tailor the therapy to your needs so that I can make sure you’re getting what you want out of our time together.

Are you ready to reach out?

I’m a counsellor who specialises in supporting people who are navigating body image concerns and body changes. I specialise in supporting people living in bigger bodies, people who are pregnant and postpartum, and people with disordered eating and body image concerns.

If you want to explore what it’s like to make peace with your body, or if you’re just ready to talk, you can book a free 15-minute discovery call or your first session via www.outofthewoodscounselling.net or by emailing me at yasmine@outofthewoodscounselling.net .