What Should You Bring to Therapy?

Understanding What Is “Therapy Material” Using the Live — Love — Laugh Framework

Many people hesitate to start therapy because they aren’t sure what they’re supposed to talk about.

“Is this important enough?”“Others have it worse — should I just deal with it on my own?”“What if I don’t know what to talk about once I get there?”

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin therapy.In fact, not knowing where to start is often part of the process.

A helpful way to determine whether something is appropriate for therapy is to see if it interferes with your ability to:

LIVE — LOVE — LAUGH

This isn’t just a decorative quote found on wall art.It’s an easy way to understand functional impairment — a clinical term that therapists use to assess how much stress, emotion, or a problem is affecting your daily life.

LIVE: How Is It Affecting Your Day-to-Day Life?

Ask yourself:

• Is this issue making it hard for me to perform daily tasks?

• Am I sleeping too much or too little?

• Has my energy or motivation dropped?

• Am I avoiding responsibilities, appointments, or self-care?

When your ability to live your life is disrupted, therapy becomes not only appropriate but important.

Common examples:

• Feeling overwhelmed or stuck

• Difficulty managing stress or emotions

• Lack of motivation or constant exhaustion

• Anxiety interfering with work or routines

If you aren't able to live with stability and peace, that’s therapy material.

LOVE: How Is It Affecting Your Relationships?

Ask:

• Is this affecting my relationships, connection, or intimacy?

• Am I withdrawing from people?

• Do I feel alone even when I’m not?

Therapy is a space to explore how your emotions, past experiences, and patterns affect the way you love and are loved.

Common examples:

• Conflict with a partner or family member

• Repeating unhealthy relationship patterns

• Trouble saying “no” or setting boundaries

• Fear of abandonment or difficulty trusting others

If your relationships feel strained or confusing, that’s therapy material.

LAUGH: How Is It Affecting Your Joy?

Ask:

• Am I still able to enjoy things I used to enjoy?

• Do I laugh as often?

• Do I feel emotionally numb?

Joy, playfulness, pleasure, and laughter are indicators of mental wellness.

Common examples:

• Feeling disconnected from hobbies or passions

• Being physically present but emotionally checked out

• Feeling like life is all stress and no joy

If you haven’t laughed or felt joy in a while — therapy can help you reconnect.

What Else Can You Bring to Therapy?

You can talk about anything that matters to you:

• Stress + anxiety

• Trauma or past experiences

• Sleep problems or chronic insomnia

• Identity and self-esteem

• Work stress or burnout

• Loneliness, grief, transitions, or loss

• Feeling “not good enough” / imposter syndrome

There is no issue too small if it's affecting your peace, confidence, or emotional freedom.

You Don’t Need a Crisis to Need Support

Therapy is not just for emergencies.

Some people use therapy to prevent crises, not just respond to them.Others use therapy to grow, improve relationships, and increase their resilience.

You deserve support before things fall apart.

If You’re Not Sure Where to Start, Try This:

Bring one of these:

• A situation that bothered you recently

• A conversation or conflict you keep replaying

• An emotion you haven't been able to shake

• A behavior or pattern you don’t understand

Your therapist will help guide the conversation — you don’t have to have a script.

The Takeaway

If something is interfering with your ability to:

LIVE your daily life, LOVE others or yourself, or LAUGH and feel joy — therapy can help.

Whatever you're carrying, you don’t have to carry it alone.