These days, it seems there is help for anything you may need. Pickleball lessons? Yes. Personal training? Yes. Business coach? Yes. And of course, therapist? YES! And while many people go to therapy, individually, as a couple (pre-marital, marital, and divorce counseling), there are still those who feel that going to a therapist is a sign of weakness. This article is for you if you feel that way.
If your car needs work, you bring it to a mechanic. If you need advice about planning for a retirement, you see a financial planner. So, if your mental health needs attention, why not see a therapist? We are not experts in everything in life. Why not find the expert in the area in which you are struggling? This is not to say that a therapist is an expert on you and your life specifically; but instead, therapists are experts in mental health. Just like some doctors specialize in dermatology or oncology or orthopedics, mental health therapists have specialties too. Some specialize in relationships (yours truly!), some in anxiety, others in depression, trauma experts as well (another area I focus on), etc. Once we realize that taking care of our mental health is equally as important as taking care of our physical health, it will be easier for people to reach out and seek help.
With all that is happening in our world, including school shootings, we see more and more that therapy is a necessary and effective way of navigating stress. If you have not ever been to therapy, here are some real benefits:
Having a completely confidential and safe space to share anything and everything you feel and think.
At the most basic level, having a safe place to unload that which you carry around with you is cathartic.
Getting honest and objective feedback about how you can improve your life can be eye-opening.
Being open to hearing a different perspective than the one in your head.
Hearing a theory about your relationships that you may never have considered.
Learning how to cope more effectively with stress, loss, pain and fear (all parts of life).
Building your self-esteem.
Healing from traumas, obsessive or intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, phobias, addictions, sexual dysfunctions and more.
Learning how to care for yourself better and set boundaries in your relationships.
Prevents further issues in future.
You have a dentist to take care of your dental health? Everyone could benefit from having a therapist to help you take care of your mental health too! Going to the dentist helps you to help yourself with your teeth but the dentist doesn’t brush them for you. The same is true of a therapist. A seasoned therapist will help teach you the tools you need to have a fulfilling life, including fulfilling relationships without doing it for you.
So what are you waiting for? Reach out today to get started to creating the life you want. We only get one!