One of the most common questions people wonder about therapy is: Will my therapist tell me to leave my relationship? In this episode, Sarah and Laura unpack why that’s not the therapist’s role. They explore what therapists can and can’t say, how values and safety factor into these conversations, and why therapy is about helping you explore - not making choices for you. Along the way, they reflect on the complexities of relationships, autonomy, and what it means to honor a client’s process without judgment.

Key Takeaways:

• Therapists don’t tell you whether to stay or leave a relationship - the decision is always yours.
• Therapy provides tools, reflection, and perspective - not directives.
• Safety matters. In cases of abuse, the conversation shifts to prioritizing wellbeing, while still respecting autonomy.
• Cultural narratives around love, commitment, and leaving shape how people think about relationships.
• Good therapy helps you clarify your own values and decisions, rather than living out someone else’s.
• Holding both grief and hope is part of the therapeutic process.

Subscribe to Beyond the Session wherever you listen to podcasts.

Leave us a review to help others find the show and support mental health conversations.

Submit your listener questions to hello@hopegrowstherapy.com - we may feature yours on a future episode!

Connect with us online: hopegrowstherapy.com or on Instagram.

Share this episode with a friend who might need encouragement to embrace growth - even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Hope Grows Therapy & Consultation
• Contact: hello@hopegrowstherapy.com
• One Place Family Justice Center – Montgomery, AL
• Family Sunshine Center – Central Alabama

What if the discomfort you're avoiding is the very thing that could change you? In this episode, Sarah and Laura dive into what it really means to be uncomfortable—and why it matters. From emotional growth to boredom, relational tension to chronic pain, they explore how discomfort shows up in our lives, and how learning to sit with it can lead to deeper healing, stronger relationships, and a greater sense of self. They also reflect on the difference between discomfort and lack of safety, and how our fast-paced culture may be robbing us of the growth discomfort can bring.

Subscribe to Beyond the Session wherever you listen to podcasts.

Leave us a review to help others find the show and support mental health conversations.

Submit your listener questions to hello@hopegrowstherapy.com—we may feature yours on a future episode.

Connect with us online: hopegrowstherapy.com or on Instagram.

Share this episode with a friend who might need encouragement to embrace growth—even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Hope Grows Therapy & Consultation
• Contact: hello@hopegrowstherapy.com
• One Place Family Justice Center – Montgomery, AL
• Family Sunshine Center – Central Alabama
• Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – Mozart (mentioned in episode)