To think therapy is for the benefit of others

I guess it benefited my family and friends because I didn't kill myself. But ultimately the biggest benefit was to me!

Well, yes, to some extent. I go to therapy so that I have an outlet that is not my DH (or any other family/friends). It’s a safe space to talk over issues or concerns and means that I can focus on being a better version of myself with them. Would I go if I wasn’t in a relationship or had a child? Maybe not but, as someone with very tricky mental health issues, it’s important to me that I do everything I can to keep myself healthy for them.

Yabu.
people often feel very different after some therapy. They can unravel and process difficult experiences, see patterns of behaviour, set boundaries, and achieve goals.

I disagree, OP.

After losing my beloved baby brother in a freak sporting accident, DH in particular was ace. However he does not have the toolkit of my grief therapist. It took the love of the one and the skill of the other to make me able to face life again.

You are being unreasonable.

I suffered depression for well over a decade and had a very poor quality of life. I had a year of therapy and I've mentally well since then despite some horrific things happening to me - including being widowed. I feel appropriately sad and feel grief but I'm not mentally unwell anymore.

Therapy isn't easy or an instant cure, but the right type of therapy for your personal issues can do wonders and turn your life around. But it's hard work and you may need to try a few types/therapists.

I do think counseling is utter bollocks though. Just venting about your problems to an untrained person doesn't help for actual mental illness. It might help if you are a mentally well person who is just having a rough time but not as an actual treatment.

I do think a lot of people get cousling and therapy mixed up though and assume it's all just crying about your childhood with a big box of tissues.

I'm not sure I agree.

But I do think it's a massive money making opportunity and it's become so popular, that lots of people were aghast when my husband died and I said I didn't need therapy.

His body was hardly cold when people were offering me contact details like it was par for the course.

That's a whole load of bullshit.

I know lots of people who have done therapy, and have done it myself, and thats not my experience at all.
However its worth remember that personality, outlook, life experience and attitudes of people around them, all impact someone's experience of therapy.

No not at all, and it doesn't necessarily reduce the pressure on family. Sometimes the person in therapy speaks out for the first time and causes ructions.

As someone whose believes in therapy and have had it myself, I couldn’t disagree more.

Dh has also had therapy due to an abusive childhood and it’s had a massively positive effect on his mental health.

Your family and friends may love you and care for you hugely, but they cannot absorb or handle everything, and it's not fair to expect them to do so.

If therapy isn't helping the patient, the therapist is not a good match (or they are not very good) and you should find one who is a good fit.

Harsh but probably correct.

As someone who volunteers for a mental health charity, I couldn’t disagree more.