There are definitely times that I've found therapy hard, but I haven't often found it painful outside of the pain I was already feeling with my mental illness. For me, therapy was a breath of fresh air. Yes, the skills were hard and there were some incredibly difficult periods where I was working really hard to be willing and to utilize my skills, but going to therapy is in general a pleasant experience for me. I don't dread seeing my T regardless of what will be discussed and I often leave feeling less burdened than I had when I walked in.

I think it has to be something you decide for yourself since people go to therapy for a lot of different reasons.