How do I get past feeling overwhelmed doing real therapy?

Knowing the theory and sitting with a real, hurting person are two different worlds. The books are tidy. The room is not. Feeling overwhelmed when the person in front of you does not match the textbook is not a sign you chose wrong. It is a sign you are actually doing the work. Ease the pressure on yourself. You do not have to have the perfect response ready. Much of therapy is simply staying present, listening closely, and reflecting back what you hear. You are not performing rescues. You are keeping steady company with someone while they find their own way. That is enough far more often than it feels like it is. In your next session, let go of getting it right and just aim to understand this one person well. Slow down and be curious. The theory will settle into place underneath you over time. Presence is the ground you build everything else on, and you already have it.