You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out to Start Therapy

If you’ve been putting off starting therapy because you don’t know what your “goals” are—that’s okay. Really. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we often hear from clients who worry that they need to have a clear plan, a specific issue, or a perfectly worded reason to begin. But the truth is, therapy is the place where you can figure that out, and can be a place for brainstorming and idea generation.

You’re Allowed to Start with Uncertainty You don’t need a crisis, a diagnosis, or a life-altering decision to justify reaching out. You might just feel:

  • Foggy, tired, or disconnected

  • Curious about yourself in a new way

  • Stuck in a cycle you can’t name

  • Like something’s off, even if you’re not sure what

That’s more than enough. Therapy can help you explore what you’re carrying—even if you don’t have the words for it yet.

Therapists Don’t Expect You to Have the Answers It’s our job to help you:

  • Clarify what’s important to you

  • Explore patterns you’ve outgrown

  • Notice what brings you peace (or pain)

  • Find language for things that feel fuzzy or hard to describe

Therapy isn’t a test. You don’t have to show up with bullet points and a five-step plan. You just have to show up.

What Starting from “I Don’t Know” Can Look Like

  • Naming what isn’t working, even if you’re unsure why

  • Letting yourself talk out loud and hear what surfaces

  • Asking your therapist to guide or structure early sessions

  • Beginning with goals like “feel less alone” or “understand myself better”

You Deserve Support—Even If It’s Just a Hunch So many people wait for things to get “bad enough” to start therapy. But you don’t have to wait. You don’t have to hit a wall. You’re allowed to want support simply because you’re human and life is hard sometimes.

Therapy isn’t about having the right answers. It’s about creating space to ask better questions—and to do it with someone who’s trained to walk with you through the fog.

Feeling unsure, but ready to explore support? Sprout Therapy PDX offers inclusive, low-pressure therapy for wherever you are in your journey. Reach out today and let’s figure it out together.

Emelie Douglas