Overcoming Fear of Therapy
Psychotherapy is nothing to fear.
Posted December 11, 2025 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley
This is the answer I often get when I suggest psychotherapy to friends or patients who are struggling with infertility , divorce , long-standing anxiety or depression , career upheavals, or unexpected life events.
When I ask why, I often find the real reason they are saying this is fear : fear that the therapist will manipulate them, fear that the therapist’s questions will embarrass them or trigger anxiety, fear that they will be criticized or expected to become a different person, fear that they will be blamed for their own problems, fear that the therapist can read their private emotions and inner thoughts, or fear that they will not “get” therapy and fail as a patient.
Some colleagues call this psychophobia , and it’s often based on myths and misconceptions. So, let’s try to demystify psychotherapy:
Here's a final suggestion if you would like to try psychotherapy but are fearful or even "psychophobic": Look for a telehealth therapist. For some, meeting from your own couch can feel less intimidating than walking into a clinician’s office. There’s no check-in desk, no waiting room, no uncomfortable eye contact with strangers, and no anxious commute. Many telehealth clients say that the experience helps them feel more like empowered consumers rather than overwhelmed patients. They can interview doctors and change them more easily without meeting them face to face. Alan Copperman, medical director of RMA of New York and vice-chairman of the Department of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Science at Mount Sinai Medical Center, says that his patients are “less intimidated during telehealth visits, so we have more of a conversation than a consultation.” He adds that telehealth has special benefits for hesitant therapy patients because it increases their sense of control at a time when that sense is challenged by their anxiety about starting therapy.
Like learning a new language, opening a new app, or visiting a new city, psychotherapy at its best will give you new skills and resources for dealing with your life and a new appreciation of your emotional abilities.
To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
Rowe, C.E. “Psychophobia” is a Major Current Issue Affecting Psychoanalytic Training and Practice. Clin Soc Work J 37, 79–80 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-008-0186-9
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Georgia Witkin, Ph.D. , is Head of Patient Services Development for Progyny, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Sciences at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and Director of Patient Services Management and Development at U.S. Fertility.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.