"on second thought... I Can Just Trauma Dump on My Friends."
OKAY, OKAY I HEAR YOU...
But just hear me out. No shade to your friends or family but it just ain't the same *insert shrugging woman emoji.*
Talking to friends about your problems vs exploring your problems & processing the accompanying emotional responses with your therapist typically provide two very different outcomes.
One of them allows you to vent and receive some sort of feedback from the people you trust for free. The other encourages you to vent while processing your emotions with someone who you will eventually trust; who is legally required to maintain your confidentiality; who provides you with their undivided attention; and who offers objective, empathetic, & supportive responses that facilitate your understanding, healing, & growth as a person...for a fee.
The best thing yet is that you can have a therapist AND still talk with your friends & family! Another important component in the therapist-client relationship is that I support self-determination. This means that I support and respect your ability to make your own choices, set your own goals, and decide how to take the initiative to reach said goals.