It Takes Time: Why Therapy Isn’t a Quick Fix
- Adriane Barroso
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
We live in a world built for speed. Groceries can be delivered in under 20 minutes. We binge an entire season in one weekend. And there’s a secret part of us that wonders: shouldn’t our healing happen just as fast?
Here’s the real talk: Therapy doesn’t work like that.
The Myth of Overnight Change
Every week, we see the same quiet frustration in people’s faces—sometimes in our own. They come to therapy wanting the ache to ease, the questions to quiet, the patterns to change. And, deep down, we hope there’s a shortcut: the right insight, the perfect advice, or that one “aha!” moment that fixes it all.
But healing, growth, and genuine change don’t obey deadlines. They don’t rush for anyone.
Why Therapy Takes Time
Therapy is about learning new ways of being—ways that are unfamiliar, sometimes uncomfortable, and often deeply personal. It’s the work of sitting with your story, noticing your defenses, and (slowly) building something new from the inside out. Sometimes it’s just the work of staying, of not quitting on yourself even when progress feels invisible.
If that sounds slow, it’s because it is. But slow isn’t the enemy—rushing is.
The Beauty in “Not There Yet”
Growth shows up in small, quiet moments:
The way you pause before reacting.
That first time you say “no” when you used to say “yes” - Or the other way around!
Realizing you feel a little less alone with your own thoughts.
The morning you get out of bed and, for a second, don’t dread the day.
Realizing you're showing up, again and again, for yourself.
Why You’re Not Behind
Social media is full of transformations and testimonials, but the truth is that most change is private, messy, and nonlinear. If you’re still in the thick of it, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human. You’re doing the work, even if it’s invisible to everyone else.
Real Talk: The Takeaway
Therapy isn’t magic. Therapy takes time. It’s work. It’s slow, honest, frustrating, and moving. Give yourself the time you need—there are no shortcuts, but the road can be beautiful.
Want to talk about the work? Or share your own story? We're always here.
