Historically, seeing a mental health therapist was always seen as taboo. You needed to have something “wrong” with you to go see a “shrink” and you weren’t allowed to tell anyone that you were seeing a therapist or they would think you were “crazy”. A lot of movies or TV shows would depict therapy sessions as the client laying on the couch and the therapist asking “how does that make you feel?”. Thankfully, we have moved away from the image and stigma that therapy is only for “crazy” people.
Although the evolution of mental health care has gained speed over the years, there is still a lot to be done. Going to a therapist needs to be as normal as going to a doctor for a check-up or the dentist to get your teeth cleaned. I feel one of the biggest blocks that prevent people from seeking therapy and fuels the stigma is not knowing what they need therapy for. People feel that they need to have BIG problems to go to therapy or that something really BIG needed to happen to them. I’m here to inform you: that is not true at all. This post is to share a few reasons why people should go to therapy.
Self - Care
Having a self-care routine or “go-to” self-care activities is important. We live in a society that is very “go, go, go” and it’s hard to keep up sometimes, adding therapy into your self-care toolbox can be the hour of “uninterrupted me time” that you’ve been needing. A breath of fresh air. It is YOUR time to talk about whatever YOU want.
Coping Tools
Seeing a therapist can help you find coping tools for stress, anxiety, anger, depression, etc. We all need a little help sometimes figuring out things that will help us throughout the day. Seeing a therapist can offer insight and suggestions about new ways of looking at yourself or maybe why what you’ve been doing isn’t working anymore.
An Unbiased Perspective
A therapist is there to provide an unbiased, nonjudgmental perspective on what you’re talking about and dealing with. A therapist isn’t there to give you advice or tell you what to do but rather help you get there on your own. Your support system has your best interest at heart but those around you aren’t always the best at doing this unbiasedly so having an outside party is important and helpful.
Helping Work through the Big Things
Sometimes, a big change or big event is what drives people to seek out a therapist. This is what we are here for. A loss of a loved one, a change in jobs, a change in living location, experiencing a traumatic event are all examples of things that a therapist can help you move through and process. Change is really difficult and you don't have to go through it alone.
Untangle Your Mind
We all intake information differently and how we do this effects our day-to-day lives. A therapist can help you better understand how you process and use information and ways to change that for the better to help you live a more authentic lifestyle and be able to handle the stress that is daily living.
Bonus: Teaching kids about feelings
Children have a difficult time dealing with change and understanding their feelings. A therapist can navigate their emotions and help them find the language they need to share what’s going on.
A common fear of going to therapy is that the process is going to take years and people will be in therapy for the rest of their lives. This isn’t necessarily the case. Therapy and length of time is totally individualized and is something to talk about with your therapist.
Therapists also want to know your fears and reservations about the process. We are here to help ease the stress of going to therapy, not add more to it, so asking a therapist questions about the process is a great start! Questions to Ask a Therapist Before Signing On
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for the support that you deserve.
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