Psychotherapy can be one of the greatest and most rewarding adventures; it can bring with it the deepest feelings of personal worth, of purpose and richness in living.

-Eda Leshan

My clients often ask about medication and if it can help them feel better. I’m not a medical doctor, so I always refer them back to their doctors for a medication evaluation and to further discuss this topic. However, I’ve noticed that these conversations often bring up how people feel about medication use in general.

Here’s some information about therapy and medication:

1. For some people, if they are feeling badly and if a medication prescribed by their doctor can help them feel better, they are open to trying this route.
2. For other people, they view taking medication as a weakness, and they want to avoid this route if at all possible.
3. For women who are pregnant or postpartum and breastfeeding, they are often very worried about how their prescribed medication may affect their baby.
4. For some, they are willing to take their prescribed medication, but they discuss with their doctor the possibility of only taking it for a short time to help them get though something situational that’s going on in their life.
5. Research is showing that clients who are prescribed medication and are in therapy tend to show more improvement than simply with medication alone.
6. If someone is in therapy with me and isn’t improving and/or their symptoms are getting worse, we have a conversation about possible ways medication may be helpful, and I refer them to their doctor for a medication evaluation.

Therapy and prescribed medication from your doctor sometimes go hand in hand. Your doctor can help with the medication evaluation; while your therapist can help support you while you process your current feelings and emotions.