I can follow your reluctance to use medication. For me it doesn't work: I'm one of the people who experience side-effects and nothing but that. Nevertheless, every new psychiatrist insists he has the perfect miraculous elixir of happiness for me. The experience always turns out the same for me: I end up sleeping 12 hours a day or even more. To me it's predictable and - even more frustrating - it blocks my treatment.

On the other hand: many people - if not most - have good results with antidepressants etc.. I have never felt as if any medication really changed my personality and neither have acquintances who benefit from medication. I think you have to keep in mind that people who benefit from medication have no reason to be vocal about it: there still is a stigma on metal health and if medication helps you get by many people are glad and keep their ailments to themselves. Those with bad experiences probably have more reason to out their frustration ...
Furthermore, I would shy away from therapists who present medication as the cornerstone of a solution. Given that yours suggests medication only if you want , I would definitely trust him/her when you discuss the issue. Do express your fear for side-effects if medication is brought up.