You should see a therapist. No, really. Therapy is something that, even today, is seen as taboo. It can even be hard to tell a friend, “I’m thinking of seeing a therapist.” It’s natural to be afraid of what someone else will think of you if you even mention the word “therapist.”
First, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when you have any mental or emotional struggle. Every single day each one of us is going through something.
Anyone who thinks differently of you because you want to see a therapist is not someone you want in your inner circle.
You tell yourself, “I don’t need to see a therapist,” as if the idea itself labels you in some way, but it doesn’t.
Therapy is excellent; there are so many great things that come out of talking to a therapist.
Why?
Well, why not? Therapy is something that is meant to help you get a better understanding of yourself and your life. We all struggle to understand things like our purpose, why we are doing something, or even who we are.
The world is constantly going, and it never stops. You may always be on the go and barely get 15 minutes to eat.
Your schedule is 12 hours from when you wake up to prepare for the day until you get off work. Then another 2 hours of travel time, 4 hours of chores and errands at home such as cooking, cleaning, and prepping for the next day. Then, if you’re lucky, you may get 6 hours of sleep.
You barely have time for yourself or your own thoughts.
Or your life may be the complete opposite: you may have a lot of time, but you are unsure of how to use it, and you aren’t even sure what you want out of life.
Either way, you may feel out of control of your life.
Therapy will help you realize what you are refusing to see and help you confront it and gain control of your life.
Therapy is a tool to help you enhance your life; it is not a weapon against your life.
But if you feel like your reasons aren’t good enough, here is a small list of why you may want to consider seeking out a trained therapist:
- Grief
- Feeling sad
- Feeling unmotivated
- Anxiety
- Difficulty in relationships
- Thoughts of suicide
- Depression
- Anger
This is just a small list, so if you feel like you need to talk to someone, then any reason you have is a good and valid reason.
What Are the Benefits?
There are so many benefits that come from seeing a trained professional in therapy. Depending on why you seek out someone to talk to, the benefits will be different for everyone.
- It helps you gain control of your life
- It enables you to confront any challenges you may be facing
- You can learn how to be more accepting of yourself
- You will discover different techniques to use through tough times in your life
- It will help you feel empowered
- You will gain confidence
- Gain structure in your life
- Learn about yourself
- Build a strong circle of friends around you
The benefits are limitless. The ways therapy will benefit you will be different from how therapy will help someone else because you will have a different structured approach.
So, relax and reap the benefits.
Don’t Feel Embarrassed
Therapy is really misunderstood, and it’s a shame that it is because therapy helps you build and strengthen yourself.
You talk to your friends about your challenges every day, right? So, what is the big deal about seeking out a trained professional to talk to about your challenges?
- The therapist doesn’t know you?
That’s the point. You want professional and unbiased feedback, and in the end, you will even understand yourself better.
- Will your friends laugh at you?
Then they’re not your friends.
- Are you afraid of being open?
You will never get past any hurdles if you keep reinforcing walls to keep yourself locked inside.
- Is it just embarrassing?
No, it’s not.
Don’t ever feel ashamed, repulsed, or embarrassed about looking out for your own mental health.
Why would you ever be embarrassed that you are trying to improve yourself and become the best version of yourself?
Winston Churchill said, “To improve is to change,” and if you are ever feeling down about anything in your life, then your goal should be to change.
Mental who?
Mental health. What is mental health?
It’s another part of your overall well-being.
Mental health has become an important topic for people to be more aware of. There is absolutely no shame, guilt, or embarrassment in wondering about your own mental health.
You want to eat a healthy diet and go to the gym because you want to be healthy and live a long time, right?
So, why wouldn’t you be concerned about your mental health, too? You should be. You need to be.
You want to be happy, right? You want to be more stable in your life, right? You want your relationships to succeed, right? For that, you need to adopt good mental health habits.
Talking to a trained therapist will help you discover healthy habits to construct better mental health.
Another thing about talking to a trained therapist is you will most likely receive real-life exercises to incorporate into your everyday routines.
The point of the exercises is to see how you can react better in a situation that would typically bring you some type of stress, anxiety, or where automatic negative thoughts may arise.
How to Find a Therapist
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies has a ton of great information on everything from Self-Help book recommendations to ways to find a therapist.
You should always take time to understand how you are feeling. Then, do some research before reaching out to a professional because you want someone who can help you with your struggles, not your neighbor’s struggles.
Not that your neighbor isn’t important, but this is for you.
If you aren’t sure how you are feeling, try checking out Mental Health America; it is a national non-profit for anyone who is struggling.
Their website has everything from screenings (they actually do 3,000 per day) to help to find resources.
There is a multitude of different resources available to you, including online therapy.
Therapy Costs Too Much
Some private practice therapists may not accept your insurance, and some may not accept insurance at all.
So, your only option may be to pay out-of-pocket.
This is probably the biggest reason people don’t even bother to seek out any mental health treatment.
It’s true that therapy isn’t always affordable, but it doesn’t mean you can’t find a professional therapist who you can afford and who can help you.
Many private practice therapists offer sliding-scale therapy.
Sliding-scale therapy is when a private practice therapist will offer their services to a client for a more affordable price.
This doesn’t mean that the therapists who offer this aren’t as good as therapists who don’t provide it – they offer it because they want to help people from all levels of income.
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a nationwide non-profit network for mental health professionals who offer sliding-scale therapy.
There are other great resources, such as Psychology Today and OpenCounseling
Let’s Talk Seriously
Okay, so, you know some of the benefits. You know some of the reasons you should, but you will probably have your own valid reasons, and you got some information on finding someone.
Now let’s talk seriously. Are you going to do this? If you’re still reading, then you are most likely thinking that talking to a trained professional wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Good thinking. Keep reading.
Let’s be honest; it isn’t easy conjuring up the courage to look at yourself and say, “I need some help.” It can even take more courage to seek out someone to help you.
The simple truth is that if you have tried, on your own, to get through hurdles in your life, whatever they may be, and you have been unsuccessful or not as successful as you like, seeking out someone may be the best solution.
It’s simple: if you feel like you need someone to talk to, then find someone to talk to.
There is an unlimited number of resources available to find someone to help you with your specific needs, but, like anything, you must be willing to put the time and effort into it.
Therapy Takes Work
Therapists don’t have magic dust to sprinkle on your life to make things better.
Therapy takes practice.
To overcome any obstacle in life takes practice. Practice is just the repetition of an action to improve your ability to perform the action.
We can be sure to thank Sherlock for that, but it does take work in all seriousness. You have to dedicate yourself to getting better with the prescribed exercises that are given to you.
If you aren’t willing to work and incorporate your prescribed exercises into your everyday routines, you are wasting your time in therapy.
Therapy takes work.
You are there to seek out guidance and help from a trained professional for good reasons, so make sure you are committing to it.
Not every day will be a bright and sunny day, especially when doing therapy; some ugly stuff can come out. Eventually, it will get easier, but it does take time, practice, and commitment.
Things to Keep in Mind
A few things to remember each day:
- Everything will be okay.
- Be patient.
- Therapy takes time, practice, and commitment.
- No one is perfect, and that’s fine.
- You’re human.
- Allow yourself to make mistakes
- Don’t doubt the process
- Be honest with your therapist; she is there to help, but she can’t help if you aren’t honest
- Relax, the world isn’t ending.
Overall, life is a pain. It can be beautiful and painful, but your life is important, and you matter. As Hailee Steinfeld said, “It needs to be said and heard: it’s okay to be who you are.”
Be who you are.