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How to Avoid Being Recognised on the Way to Therapy

Everybody knows the value of therapy - it can help to treat issues like depression and anxiety, improve your general well-being, help survivors of abuse or trauma to process and accept what they’ve been through, assist in the recovery of addicts and provide constructive ways that people can turn their lives around. Therapy has a wide range of uses and more people than ever before are turning to counselling to improve their quality of life. While going to therapy is incredibly beneficial for people seeking outside help, admitting it to the people around them can often cause embarrassment and anxiety. Therapy is nothing to be ashamed of, but many people would rather that those outside of their inner circles, such as workmates, don’t know. Some people don’t even want to tell those closest to them that they attend regular therapy sessions. When trying to keep the fact that you attend therapy between you and your counsellor, you may feel stressed when it is time to travel to your sessions. How can you avoid bumping into someone and having to explain where you are going? It might seem like the scariest situation, but the following tips can make sure you don’t suffer any unnecessary anxiety or awkwardness.Take a Different RouteIf you drive or walk to therapy, look for an alternative route if you want to avoid seeing any familiar faces. Use Google to map out a path that avoids popular areas where you know that your workmates go for lunch. You can also avoid anywhere that is known for heavy traffic that could cause you to be stuck for a long time. If you are stuck in traffic, not only will your friends or family have more time to recognise your car, but you may be late or even worse miss your session. Even when walking you can look for a route that doesn’t pass your friends and families houses if you want to avoid getting recognised and getting into conversations.If you travel on buses or in taxis, it can be much easier to move without anybody noticing as people won’t recognise your vehicle or see your face. Look into taking public transport if you want an extra layer of security, plus it can save you money and provide you with some time to reflect before your session.Pick a Time When Everyone Else is at WorkIf you have a more flexible working day, you can request a time when you know everyone else is in work. This could be in the morning or just after lunchtime when friends and colleagues aren’t roaming the city streets but are instead sitting at their desks. You can even book a day or half day off or come in late (with your boss's approval) to avoid altering your typical working day. By going to therapy before work, you can put your mind at ease so that when you get to the office you can focus fully on completing your tasks.Many people avoid getting therapy during their lunch break as they need that time to eat and recharge before the rest of their working day. If your ‘work mind’ doesn’t get time to rest and instead you are thinking about therapy, it can make getting through the rest of the day incredibly hard. Also, travelling unnoticed to therapy will be much harder as many people leave their office to grab some lunch. This increases your chances of being seen, and if your friends invite you to join them, you may find it hard to come up with a reasonable excuse on the spot.Don’t Explain YourselfWhile this blog is mainly highlighting ways to avoid being seen, there might be the odd occasion where you are asked to lunch, or a friend sees you in the street and asks about your day. So, how do you react? Rather than freeze up and give the person a reason to be suspicious and question what's wrong, you can come up with responses in advance such, ‘I have a meeting’, ‘I need to pop out’ or ‘I’ve got something arranged’. Responses like this don’t invite that person to say ‘Oh I’ll join you’ as they seem personal and show that you’re in a rush. If you say ‘I’m off to lunch’ the person may invite themselves thinking that you are on your own and want some company.But, most importantly, if you can’t think of an excuse or the person asks you outright, you don’t need to feel ashamed, lie or explain yourself. If the person knows you are going to therapy, they don’t need to know why, and you shouldn’t feel uncomfortable or pressured into telling them. As a personal and private affair, therapy is your business only, and you can decide who knows why you attend. No one should make you feel like you are keeping a terrible secret or doing something taboo. Your sessions are precious and can do so much for your mental health, so don’t let one person make you feel ashamed for self-conscious.Don’t feel the need to throw yourself into bushes, hide behind walls or totally camouflage yourself to avoid being seen by Jane from the Marketing department or Peter from your local pub. These are a couple of simple ways that you can avoid being recognised on your way to therapy. But, even if you are stopped and questioned by someone a little too nosey, you don’t need to tell them anything. Your therapy is for you - not the rest of the world. You can tell whoever you want and keep it private from anyone that you don’t feel comfortable sharing with. If you are interested in learning more about the services I offer, then contact me today for more information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]