In my opinion, deep within us, there is an innate ability to be our own healer. Through it all, most retain a deep capacity for growth and love.

Sometimes that ability, however, gets completely overwhelmed to the point that outside help is required.

But, as indicated previously, there are many many paths that help us to tap into the reservoir of own strength.

Transference (I personally find the use of that word to be rather limiting because anywhere outside of psychology it's simply referred to as feelings, but whatever) is necessary for some, entirely problematic for others. In some it never even occurs.

For me, therapy has been an incredibly helpful process, and has been the keystone of my path, but, make no mistake, there have been other processes in play. The combined effort of all has led to a much happier life for me.

Going it alone will require a rather critical and objective appraisal of yourself. I think you will have to sort of what thoughts, behaviours and beliefs you have that keep you from the life you want. That is a valuable skill to develop no doubt, but sometimes hard to come by on one's own. I know I felt as though therapy was required.

If you are not confident in the mental health services available to you, then I think it becomes a definite risk/benefit analysis. Without a doubt, therapy is expensive. It has iatrogenic effects. Some therapists are just outright nutjobs - incompetent to the very core. Sometimes it's even hard to ferret out the nutjobs from the good ones.

Psychology is definitely one way, but it's not the only.

FWIW, i've found profound truth and peace in the tenets of Buddhism. I think those guys just absolutely know how to live in harmony with most of the crap that comes up in life.