To start off this article as a Master’s in Counselling student, I’m going to get it our there right away that to be honest, you do not have to go to therapy. Not for misophonia, or for something else. Therapy is a personal endeavor, and this should be a choice whether or not you want to go to therapy. To be honest, since there’s no treatment for misophonia, you’re better off going to no therapy than to go to a bad therapist that doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Today I made a video about this topic, and while you don’t have to watch it (it is similar), I did kind of go into a rant on the topic. This article is not a word for word copy of the video so feel free to watch and read.
What therapists can do for misophonia varies based on the clinician and the modalities that they work from. If the clinician is purely CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) based and wants to do ERP (exposure response therapy), then what I would suggest is to not pay them a dime and to RUN.
Therapists, however, can help you deal with uncomfortable emotions and help you with learning psychoeducation and sensory regulation (two things we talk about a lot here on this website). Depending on the type of practitioner you are seeing, you might have somebody looking to give “diagnosis” or “treatment” (such as a psychiatrist, MD, or psychologist), or you might have a counsellor who is more focused on the emotions and symptoms and helping you find coping skills that work for you.
With all that said, the answer of if you should go to therapy for misophonia lies within you… do you feel like you would benefit from a professional to talk to? Maybe you want sensory strategies? If that’s the case, I suggest looking for occupational therapists or counsellors who have a sensory approach. Always remember that therapy is a choice, and you do not have to stay with a therapist who makes you uncomfortable.
