Seeing a Therapist

Part of the student fee that I pay, or rather, Fulbright pays for, includes health care. This covers a lot of services (like earwax removal, wart removal, and other fun stuff), including free sessions with a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist. So I thought, since I'd never used these freebies before, now is as good a time as any to make use of them. In the Philippines, seeing a therapist is not very common. Usually, when I hear of people talking to a professional about their problems, it would be a marriage counselor or some such person. I rarely hear of people going to a therapist for problems as an individual. It takes a lot for a Filipino to admit that she or he needs professional help. Maybe it's because we have a lot of support systems like family and friends, who are expected to help us through all our problems. (We're probably also worried that people will talk behind our backs and call us crazy.)

I tried to book a session last week, but the first session that was available was an hour this afternoon. Apparently, Mizzou students have no problem with seeking professional help. I went to the Student Health Center for my appointment, met my therapist (wow, how American) Dr. Susan, and though there was no couch in her room, there was a very comfortable lounging chair to sit on. We just chatted for an hour about what I'd been thinking about, and Susan was very easy to talk to. The time flew by, and they have a clock right in front of you as a reminder of how much of your hour you have left. (Americans, if anything, are efficient.)

It was a pleasant experience, mostly because a person is forced to listen to you for an hour and they CAN'T complain. I mean, it's great to have friends who are willing to listen to you for hours on end, and in fairness, none of mine have complained one iota about lending an ear. But I can't help but sometimes feel guilty about talking ad nauseam about my problems to them, even if the circumstances justify it. Now, If someone is actually paid to listen to you, they have no choice but to do just that. And they can't really tune you out, pretend to listen, and just nod at appropriate moments, because they have to give you some input at the end of the session to prove that they'd been listening to you all that time.

Now, I understand why a lot of Americans are hooked on therapy. I'm going again next week.