Four Reasons for Therapy
I know that the idea of therapy can seem intimidating. Maybe you’re nervous to be vulnerable and share all the intimate parts of yourself with a stranger. Maybe you fear the breakdowns or panic attacks that may arise if you talk about your struggles.
Although it can be a daunting experience to open up to a therapist, they serve as an unbiased perspective in your life that is solely focused on meeting your needs and helping you along your healing journey. It can be difficult to intentionally address those difficult emotions that we try so hard to push away all by ourselves – but we don’t have to do it alone.
We can be so hesitant when it comes to taking the opportunities that could help to better ourselves. Just because the idea of something can seem uncomfortable, doesn’t mean that we should fear or avoid it. Therapy is a lot of emotional work, but it helps you develop the skills necessary to manage life’s ups and downs in a proactive manner and live healthfully.
Here are 4 reasons to go to therapy:
1. There are many misconceptions about therapy, which can cause people to feel ashamed to go. Going to therapy doesn’t mean ‘you’re crazy.” You don’t need to go through something traumatic or be diagnosed with a mental illness to reach out for help. No one is perfect. A therapist can help to untangle some of the issues that seem so complex when you keep it in your mind. It’s hard to do this alone.
2. Maybe you think that you could just talk to a friend or family member about your struggles. Although having a healthy support system is great, they may have biased advice or intentions that hinder your wellbeing. A therapist actively listens and helps you to dig deeper to enhance that connection and relationship that you have with yourself. A therapist can help you to view life in a different perspective or consider alternatives that your friends or family may not see.
3. Therapy is an opportunity to learn new things about yourself! The therapeutic process helps you to build up self-awareness and understand your emotions and motivations for your behaviour. This perspective helps to shift our understanding of our role in every situation to understand how we could take accountability to better ourselves. When you gain this clarity, it enhances your willingness to build healthy relationships, improve your coping skills and ultimately make long lasting change.
4. Therapy is a time where you can solely focus on yourself. Life can be fast-paced. We are often always chasing the next thing and rarely stop to process all that is happening. Therapy is an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on how you are balancing work, relationships and your wellbeing. Therapy helps you to set goals to better yourself, while exploring underlying thoughts and feelings that may hold you back from the life you want to lead. Therapy helps you to feel heard. Anything that is on your mind is worth talking about with someone that will not dismiss your problems.
Debating starting therapy? Reach out to us for a free consultation to see if therapy is right for you!
Meet Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and author of this post, Laura!
Laura Clarke
RP(Q) MACP (In Progress)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
laura@reboundtotalhealth.ca
