Clinical Insights Blog
Mental health articles, practical tips, and therapy insights from the clinicians at Finding Peace in the Poconos.
Real advice from real therapists.
Mental health can feel complicated. Our goal is to make it easier to understand. Here you'll find practical tips, answers to common questions, and insights from our clinical team on topics that matter most.
Starting your therapeutic journey with confidence
By: Tina Myers, LPC - Published on 02/03/2026
Spoiler alert! There is no point-by-point handbook to read or a perfected blueprint to follow for your first therapy session. It’s hard to say what to expect, or not expect, in a therapy session because your therapist is a human being and not a robot. I am not going to try to put therapy into a neat little box because, as humans, we are messy. And just like therapy, we are not meant to fit into a perfect proverbial box either.
As a therapist, I don’t know what to expect during the first session because I, too, am meeting someone for the first time. Your first therapy session, also known as an intake, is a blind date for both the therapist and the client. One thing that you can expect in the first session is to go over basic information such as the reason you are seeking therapy, medical conditions, family history, and any medications that you are taking. This is sometimes boring and may seem overwhelming at first, but it is an absolutely necessary stage of beginning therapy.
Therapy is meant to be a safe place where you can be vulnerable and explore sensitive and sometimes uncomfortable topics without feeling judged. It is our job to create a space where our clients can be open and honest. Now, my golden rule is that you usually know by the second or third session if you and your therapist are a good fit because it can take time to build a rapport. However, sometimes you know from the very first session that the therapeutic relationship is not going to be conducive to your growth and well-being.
Some people put off therapy because they are not ready to talk about everything from day one. Guess what? That’s okay. You are in control of your session. You get to choose what you are comfortable with sharing and when you share it. It is okay to say you are not ready to talk about something just yet. You should feel heard by your therapist and not have your experiences and feelings dismissed. There also is no perfect way to approach therapy or perfect phrase to say. It is okay to tell your therapist that you are feeling nervous, uncertain, or you are not sure where to start. It is a journey that you are starting together, and there can be bumps in the road along the way.
When I first decided to go back to school to be a therapist, I imagined that I would be poised and know just what to say and when. I looked up to characters such as Dr. Huang on “Law and Order: SVU” with all of his knowledge and other therapists that I saw clips of on other shows. Seamless transitioning with just a few expert lines that make everything click into place. Unlike real life, those shows are scripted and planned out to save time as opposed to seeing what really goes into therapy. I think that is true for prospective clients as well is to keep in mind that one session is not going to fix everything.
Many individuals report feeling better even after just one session because it provides a sense of hope and relief to have someone listen. It is the first step in improving your mental health and can feel like there is a light at the end of a dark and lonely tunnel. Results are not immediate, and you get out of therapy what you put into it. The therapeutic relationship is one of the most important factors for success. Every therapist is different and will have different approaches, strengths, and weaknesses in what they treat and how they treat symptoms. I often tell my clients that finding the right therapist is like finding a pair of jeans or shoes that fit in the sense that the size at one store may fit differently than the same size at another store. (I absolutely hate when that happens, don’t you?)
Whether you are new to therapy or continuing your therapeutic journey, follow along as our professionals explore mental health topics that matter most to them.
WHY People of Color are Hesitant to Get Involved with Therapy (and WHY That Makes sense)
Dr. Janay Holland - Published on 02/13/2026Therapy is often described as a safe space.
For many people of color, it doesn’t always feel that way.
Not because healing isn’t wanted—but because experience has taught caution.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll have to explain my culture before I can talk about my pain,” or “What if they judge me instead of understanding me?”—you’re not alone.
Therapy Isn’t Culture-Free
Therapy doesn’t exist outside of history, culture, or systems of power. Many traditional therapy models were created without people of color in mind, which means clients are often asked to fit into frameworks that don’t fully reflect their lived reality.
That can look like being misunderstood, labeled too quickly, or having survival strategies mistaken for pathology.
Yes—Microaggressions Happen in Therapy
Small moments matter.
Being told someone “doesn’t see color.”
Having family dynamics misunderstood.
Feeling pressure to explain racism instead of process it.
These moments may seem minor, but in a space built on trust, they can be enough to make someone shut down—or never come back.
Hesitation Is Not Resistance
Being cautious about therapy isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.
Many people of color aren’t afraid of healing; they’re afraid of being harmed again in a space that promised safety.
What Ethical Therapy Actually Looks Like
Ethical, culturally responsive therapy doesn’t rush the development of trust or impose its values. It listens before labeling, honors autonomy, and makes room for the full context of someone’s life—not just symptoms.
Because healing doesn’t happen when someone feels explained away.
It happens when they feel understood.
Dr. Janay Holland- Published on 08/9/2026
Why You Feel Lonely Even Though You’re in a Relationship
You can love someone and still feel lonely with them.
It’s actually one of the more confusing feelings to experience in a relationship. You have a partner. You may sleep beside them every night, text throughout the day, eat dinner together, raise children, watch TV, and talk about everything that needs to get done.
But somehow, you still feel alone.
Sometimes loneliness in a relationship isn’t about your partner physically not being there. It’s about not feeling seen, heard, understood, or emotionally connected when they are there.
You Talk, But You Don’t Really Talk
Think about your conversations lately.
Are you actually talking about how you’re doing? Or are most of your conversations about work, bills, dinner, the kids, appointments, and what needs to happen tomorrow?
It’s easy for a relationship to turn into a routine. You’re doing life together, but somewhere along the way, you may have stopped connecting with each other.
You can talk to someone every day and still feel like they don’t really know what’s going on with you.
You’ve Stopped Saying How You Really Feel
Maybe you’ve tried before.
You explained how you felt and your partner became defensive. You felt dismissed. The conversation turned into an argument. Or somehow, you ended up comforting them when you were the one who was originally upset.
So eventually, you stop bringing things up.
“I’m fine” becomes easier than explaining yourself again.
The problem is that avoiding the conversation may prevent an argument in the moment, but it can also create more distance over time.
You’re Waiting for Them to Notice
Sometimes we want our partner to just know.
They should know I’m overwhelmed.
They should notice I’m not myself.
Why do I always have to ask?
I get it. Having to constantly explain what you need can become exhausting, especially when you already feel like you’re carrying a lot.
But when our needs stay unspoken, resentment can grow. Meanwhile, our partner may not even realize how disconnected we’ve become.
Sometimes It’s Bigger Than This Relationship
Your current relationship may also be bringing up things that started long before you met your partner.
Maybe you grew up feeling overlooked. Maybe you learned early that your feelings weren’t important. Maybe you became the person who handled everything yourself because depending on other people didn’t always feel safe.
Those experiences don’t magically disappear when we enter a healthy relationship.
You may struggle to ask for help. You may shut down when you’re upset. You may feel anxious when your partner needs space. You may convince yourself you’re asking for too much when you really just want to feel connected.
Sometimes our relationships touch wounds we didn’t realize were still there.
Feeling Lonely Doesn’t Mean Your Relationship Is Over
Feeling disconnected doesn’t automatically mean you’ve chosen the wrong person or that your relationship can’t work.
But it can be a sign that something needs attention.
Maybe you need more intentional time together. Maybe there are old hurts that never really got resolved. Maybe one of you keeps trying to talk while the other shuts down. Or maybe life became so busy that you stopped making space for each other without even realizing it.
Therapy isn’t only for relationships that are falling apart. Sometimes it’s simply a place to figure out how you got here and what needs to change for both people to feel connected again.
And individual therapy can be just as helpful. Understanding your own patterns, triggers, boundaries, and emotional needs can completely change how you show up in your relationships.
You don’t have to wait until you’re ready to leave to acknowledge that you’re lonely.
Sometimes the conversation starts with something as simple as:
“I love you. I just don’t want to feel this alone when we’re together.”