THERAPY: WORTH THE INVESTMENT

B y Kaneeza Lafir

I want to start off by saying that I hate lying. Especially as a therapist, I believe all true, healthy relationships need truth and honesty if they’re going to work.

But I balked when they told me the cost of sending my dog, Kurtis, to obedience school. When my family later asked me how much we’d be spending on this 11-day “course”…I could not help it. I lied. I lied because I was embarrassed at how much money I was willing to spend on training a dog they didn’t even want or like, at first. I lied because…what if it didn’t work? What if he came back just the way he was when he left—sweet, but willful and unable to heed the simplest of commands? It would be just another thing I had tried to fix that didn’t work, no matter how much money I threw at the problem.

So, I lied. I didn’t want anyone to know because I was ashamed, embarrassed, and didn’t want to incur their judgment if the whole thing blew up in my face.

But the joy I felt with the Kurtis I got back! It was amazing. He listens to me now. I don’t have to be afraid that he’ll go berserk at other dogs on our morning runs anymore! He heeds every command I give him—and what’s more, he’s a happier dog because he doesn’t get yelled at! The difference between the Kurtis that left and the Kurtis that returned is night and day, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I got the dog I always wanted, and it was so worth what I put into it.

It’s the same with therapy, isn’t it? So many of my clients come in feeling “ashamed” about their need to be there, “embarrassed” about what their friends or family would say to them if they found out, and stressed about finding a way to pay for something that they’re not even sure will work. I reassure them, “Give it time. It…you…are worth the investment. Just be patient.”

In other words, it’s worth the cost. I can say, from personal experience, that the return of the investment in yourself in a therapeutic setting is absolutely worth every penny. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about, because what you get back…the “you” you get back, the “you” you’ve always wanted to be…is priceless. All you have to do is try, knowing you’re worth the cost and the effort.