Considering Therapy?
People in my day to day life often wonder about the therapy world, particularly if they have never been. While the stigma of seeing a therapist and having mental health struggles has diminished greatly thanks to our current generation, often people may still struggle with the idea of opening up to a stranger.
So you might wonder—what will the experience be like? In my office, it simply begins with you sharing what led you to come to therapy, and then you have an opportunity to share as much or as little as you would like about that. Typically people come to therapy for so many different kinds of reasons. It is a common worry that your problem is either too big or too small, and maybe question if you should have even come to therapy at all. Sometimes people also come as a last resort, or because someone really wanted them to go. Or maybe you’re excited about the possibility of some relief in sharing your story. Whatever the reason, its often a first step towards feeling better.
Here are some of many reasons people seek out counseling
-feeling sad and don’t know why
-bad memories/ trauma resurfacing (old memories can pop up at all times of our lives)
-career struggles
-angry easily
-behavioral patterns they can’t seem to stop
-learning problems (school/college struggles)
-mom/dad/spouse made me
-court mandated
-general feeling of being unfulfilled
-unsatisfied with stage in life
-relationship struggles/divorce
-family issues
substance/porn/gambling/sex etc addictions
abuse of all types
pet loss
friendship loss or change
spiritual concerns
meaning of life (existential) worries
grief
death
worries and obsessions
lonely and just want someone to talk with
Therapy is about increasing your self-understanding, compassion and recognizing patterns of thinking feeling and behaving. A good therapist will help you to notice parts of yourself you may not have noticed before, and help you brainstorm how to make helpful changes in your life. So if you are considering therapy, give it a try. Find a therapist that you can talk to and connect with, that listens well but will also provide feedback and challenge you so you can grow.
