What Can You Talk About in Therapy?

Tanya Malik
Jun 9
2 min read

One of the most common questions people ask me—sometimes out loud, sometimes in body language—is:“So... what can I actually talk about in therapy?”

My honest answer?Everything. Anything.Hunger. Boredom. Heartbreak. Career confusion. Fights with your partner. Emotional flatness. Sex. Family. Anxiety. Body image. Identity. Shame. Even the things that feel too small, or too weird, or too tangled to name.

Therapy is not reserved for the big, dramatic breakdowns. It’s a space where the ordinary, everyday struggles are allowed to be seen. It’s a space where you don’t have to edit yourself.

Why Does Talking About It Help?

Sometimes we think we’re just “venting,” or “rambling,” or “not making sense.” But often, that’s where the real insight lives. When you say things out loud, patterns start to show up. So do gaps. You begin to hear:

What you keep avoiding
What keeps repeating
What doesn’t feel like you, even though you’ve been living it for years

When I work with clients, I’m listening for these little cues. Not to point out what’s broken.

But to help you gently explore:

What’s not working anymore
Where you’re feeling stuck or numb
What’s holding you back from living the way you want to

We talk, and in talking, you start to see. And in seeing, you begin to change.

You Can Use Therapy to:

Untangle emotional knots from the past
Make sense of relationships that drain or confuse you
Understand why you react the way you do
Set better boundaries (or figure out what that even means for you)
Name your needs, wants, and limits more clearly
Get out of cycles of self-sabotage or overthinking
Feel less alone in your experiences

And honestly, sometimes you just need someone to sit with your mess, without trying to fix you. That’s part of the work too.

You Don’t Need a Script to Begin

You don’t need to have the “right” topic or a clear goal on Day 1. If all you can say is, “I just don’t feel like myself lately,” that’s enough. If all you can bring is your exhaustion or frustration, that’s more than enough.

This space is for you to process out loud, be heard, and build clarity over time.

What You Talk About in Therapy = What You Carry in Life

If it lives in your mind, heart, body, or nervous system, it’s welcome here.

Whether you're carrying something heavy or just wondering why you feel stuck, you're allowed to talk about it. Therapy isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s about being real. It’s about seeing yourself more clearly, with support.

Thinking About Starting?

I’m Tanya Malik, and I work with clients across India and globally through online sessions. If you're unsure where to begin, that's completely okay. You don’t have to know what to say. You just have to show up. The rest, we figure out together.