Welcome, OJ! I am very new here myself, but people have been very welcoming. I felt free to jump right into some of the threads and post. And people responded to what I had to say. I did not feel like I was a "newbie" and not being acknowledged.

My favorite forum is this one, on Psychotherapy. I find hearing about other people's experiences in therapy can help me figure out what is going on in my own sessions. I also like to get ideas for different approaches to stumbling blocks in therapy and ideas for what works. It's also really interesting to read about the diversity of people's therapy experiences and therapists. Sometimes when I read people having the same difficulties I am, it makes me feel not so alone, like hey, maybe this is part of a common experience and I am not failing at this after all.

I would find it hard to find these things outside an online forum. I don't think any of my friends go for therapy, or if they do, we really wouldn't talk about it. Too personal.

Again, welcome!

sunny