Using therapy

I came across this phrase a few times recently, the idea of some clients (and that being a good and valuable thing) and other clients not, even though all of them were in therapy. Does anyone have any ideas on what this means? (maybe it connects with WePow's thread on our contributions to our own therapy?)

I see therapy as a tool that I use to improve my life and my relationships. But people can be in therapy and not make any use of it at all, and then their lives don't change. That's what "using therapy" means to me.

i've not heard this phrase before. i like PreacherHeckler's response.

I hadn't heard it before until recently; now I keep coming across it. I like the response also, thanks!

Good article: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/soul+h...el+better,8269

Great article, thanks Perna

I have heard that phrase before--from my teenage daughter! She said the first couple of years she went to therapy she wasn't using it. She just kind of went and sat there and didn't really try or engage. Then she said one day she woke up and realized she might be able to benefit from all her therapist and the process had to offer. So she began taking a much more active role in her therapy, talking about the things that she needed to work on, not making the therapist pull words out of her, revealing more of herself to the therapist--her thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, worries, fears, etc. I was really proud of her when she told me this. Sheeeesh, she sounds so mature! I am glad she is now using therapy for all it can offer.

That's not how it is for me at all! I've come from the other direction. I already knew how to protect myself. I was doing it too much!

I made a list! (Inspired by the question and a bit by the other thread)
Ways to use therapy:
1) For company/ good convos... this is the basic one for me, I think all the rest of it follows from clicking well
2) Getting reassurance for making changes
3) Having honest feedback about what's not working
4) Talking about the past and how it influenced who you are today
5) Figuring out issues with relationships/ work
6) Getting inspired
7) Learning how to be assertive
8) Practicing setting and respecting boundaries
9) A role model (well this one depends on age and where you are in your life)
There are a million of these, these are just the tip of the iceberg.... I think you can still be doing a lot in therapy even if you don't set out with a goal of using therapy...