“Why should I go to therapy if all we do is talk?”
“Why listen to some random person for advice? They don’t know me!”
“I don’t need therapy. I can handle stuff on my own!”
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to go to therapy, but quickly dismiss the idea because your problems aren’t “bad” enough? Do you wonder if your feelings are important enough to talk to a professional? Maybe you browse the self-help section of the bookstore hoping to find some material that can help you make sense of your feelings.
As human beings, we have a genuine curiosity about exploring our deepest motivations and drives. It is important for us to have a deeper understanding of ourselves. There is a reason why self help books are a billion dollar industry. But, let’s be honest….those great self-help books we *knew* would change our lives usually end up collecting dust, and we are still left with those gnawing, unresolved emotions.
Can therapy help answer some of these questions? Offer resolutions for my life?
Yup!
Think about it this way…..you want to travel to Paris. You imagine, dream, and hope to get a view of the Eiffel Tower with your own two eyes. You dream of visiting the Louvre, taking in the culture that is all around you. Rush down to the bookstore to buy the best travel guide and, and to learn as much information as possible about the best tourist spots. Of course, you could decide that reading about Paris enough for you. But it won’t be the same as seeing this beautiful city with your own two eyes. You want to EXPERIENCE Paris.
The same can be true about building your own self-awareness. You can read about it in a book. Or, you can EXPERIENCE a deeper, more meaningful understanding of who your are. Those of us in the field of psychology already know that therapy can alleviate many types of emotional suffering while building more self-knowledge and resiliency. What’s stopping you?
BUT THERE’S NOTHING WRONG
Many people never consider going to therapy unless there is a major life crisis. Some people incorrectly assume that people who go to therapy are “crazy” or that something is “wrong” in their lives. This error in thinking is linked to a medical model of healthcare. Think about it, you go to the doctor when you are sick. You catch the flu….you rush to your family doctor for Tamiflu. Broken bone? No problem, go see the orthopedic specialist. But do you think of calling your doctor for an appointment when you are healthy? Not usually!
There are people who come to counseling because they are hurting and want tools to alleviate that pain. But, what if I told you that therapy can be useful for people who are not in crisis….for people who want answers to deep, complex questions about themselves?
Say WHAAAAT???
Therapy for wellness? Yup, therapy can be an invaluable tool for self exploration, self discovery, and personal growth, and as a preventative tool.
BEFORE A CRISIS
Do you get frustrated because you notice that who you are and who you want to be don’t quite match? Perhaps you want to be a person who sets strong, healthy boundaries in your romantic relationships, but for some reason you have trouble following through.
Maybe you have everything you ever wanted in life, but you still feel like something is missing. What’s worse, you beat up on yourself for being ungrateful for the things that you do have.
Therapy can help you answer questions beyond “am I depressed?” or “how do I stop having panic attacks?” Sure, a therapist can help with these things, too. Therapy can also help with questions such as:
- Why am I looking for the “next big thing” to be happy? Why can’t I be happy now?
- Why do my romantic relationships keep failing?
- Why can’t I move ahead in my career?
- Why do I keep sabotaging my efforts to advance in my life?
HOW CAN THERAPY HELP ME?
Finding the right therapist and doing the work can have maximum impact in your life, both emotionally and in your relationships.
- Therapy can help you look at past and current patterns of behavior (either conscious and subconscious) that affect your emotions, your relationships, and your life. And when we know better, we do better.
- Therapy can help you get intentional about the patterns that you want to change. Once you are ready to make those changes, therapy can also help you with a plan to do so.
- If you are holding on to a negative thought pattern that is slowly eating at you through bullying tactics, therapy can help you fight the bully.
- Working with a therapist can help you understand what is “missing” in your life through fostering greater self-awareness and a deeper understanding of who you are.
- Therapy can help you identify patterns of behavior, explore why these patterns occur, and build healthier ways of interacting with others and yourself.
- Maybe you have had some difficulties with depression or anxiety in the past, you want to be proactive, making sure that you have all the tools you can find to prevent another episode.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of benefits, but these are several solid reasons to consider personal therapy. Even if there is nothing wrong with you, it’s worth reconsidering.
LETS TALK SCIENCE
In addition to the emotional and relationship benefits of counseling, there is also research that shows the benefit of counseling on brain structures. A recent research study found actual brain changes in patients before and after 10 weeks of therapy. These brain changes happened in the areas of the brain that regulate self-control and emotion regulation (Steiger et al., 2017). So not only does therapy change us emotionally, it can help shape our brains as well!
Once you make the investment in therapy, you will be astonished at how confident, productive, and fulfilled you can become. It could improve your relationships, build your confidence, make you a better worker, allow deeper connections with friends and family, and help change your brain! Everyone….yes EVERYONE can benefit from therapy.
Get you some.
XOXO
Dr. Strait
Convinced and wanna give therapy a go? Schedule your free consultation today!