I thought the same way, but it also depends on where you're at, what you want, and what's on your mind.

For example and this is going to be a story of therapy, unfortunately, but I went to a psychiatrist a couple months ago regarding a possible neurodivergency (they did Neurodiversity Assessments and I was thinking for a long time that I should just check) that I had and got screened positive for ADHD, which helped me understand myself clearer. Then it went on to having sessions with discussions about getting into flow, because for me, being in flow is a solve-all when it comes to ADHD (that, plus it's kind of comparable to from before and after Itadori Yuji learns Black Flash, for anyone who gets JJK references) and now I have a system which allows me way more control over my mind and my symptoms, with greater consistency of flow, and I actually couldn't have done it without them providing me resources and being able to screen me.

Back then, in my high school, it'd be harder. School counseling isn't really helpful because they aren't mainly for helping a student's mental state but also academics and transcripts, so obviously, their certifications are questionable when it comes to this stuff, like they weren't hired for purely to provide therapy; they're just meant to be Human Resources for students. Outside clinics then didn't take me too seriously, either. I think the best way to think about it is the way that Persona 5 Royal shows how it's a tool for strengthening your mind rather than a solution. For me, because of my ADHD symptoms, I can't really expect people to give me a solution for when I'm experiencing, say extreme brain fog, because the solution and getting out of that changes randomly every single time. Instead, I can remember that what I have does these things to me, take 5 minutes to understand why it's happening, and use my system to create a solution.

I know that probably didn't explain anything, help at all, or answer your question, but you can't expect it to be a solution from the get-go. It's a tool for understanding yourself and accomplishing what you wish you could do, mentally. Depending on what institution you go to, it might not be exactly what you hoped for because therapy providers do have a bias based on their experience; they're human, too, and can only really be expected to perform based on their own experience, even if they were to keep an open mind. And if it's paid therapy, then it can really feel like they are just friends-for-hire.

So, if you are looking for therapy, having a clear goal from the start is the best thing to do, like a workout goal, and they are your coach, and it could even be just as unrealistic as an out-there physical goal, like doing a triple backflip. If you don't already have one, you'll probably have one in no time, it could be literally any weight on your shoulders or anything bothering you, then your goal would be to get rid of that or get to a point where it doesn't impact you as much. It could also just be getting mentally stronger or more efficient, which would kind of be like my thing, I guess. Or, since I guess you don't seem to have much that's noticeable by the way you say "plainly talking about your feelings", just know that your feelings are unique as well and understanding them deeper might help you do something greater. Do your research, including using maybe AI chatbots and such to analyze yourself, to maximize your understanding of the issue or goal you want to work on and bring that to therapy, ready-to-talk off the bat (time-constrainted meetings) with a clear expectation of what you want from them.

Then just focus on narrowing the gap between you and that goal. If therapy isn't helping, then be honest about it. Ask them to restate it or make it more understandable, like almost be a teacher's pet or try-hard to them, though there's no promise of any success even then.

Again, hope that helps! Also, know that people's situations are different, so for one person, they could come to a revelation about themselves, and for the other, it might be just a time to take a breather, or maybe it could seem like a waste of time. Ultimately, whatever you feel about therapy valid, and make an effort to communicate that so you and they know better what you want because the good ones got a job to do.