Sometimes life gets to us. Maybe you have felt a weight on your shoulders, been more irritable, or not felt anything at all for a while.
Maybe you feel like whatever you do or where ever you turn, things just don’t look better. Perhaps you have trouble with your relationships, feel panic, uncontrollable thoughts, or have trouble eating or sleeping.
Many people feel alone when life gets them down or they experience mental health struggles. Maybe you do not want to talk with your friends and loved ones because you don’t want to burden them. Or you are worried they won’t understand. Maybe you tried talking to them and all you got was judgment or advice that was not helpful.
“Things could be worse”
“Don’t worry so much.”
“Just look at the bright side!”
Individual Therapy Can Help
Maybe the thought of seeking help has crossed your mind, or maybe someone has suggested it. But how can individual therapy actually help?
The Benefits of Individual Psychotherapy
Individual psychotherapy is called many different things: talk therapy, counseling, individual therapy. Regardless of the name, it means you work one on one with a licensed mental health provider in a caring and confidential environment.
Individual therapy means sitting down with someone who’s gone through years of training in order to help people who are struggling – and help them feel better. Therapists are trained to help people explore thoughts, feelings, habits, and experiences in order to gain a better understanding about themselves. Of course not all therapist are the same. Doctorate level psychologists have received the most training in providing therapy services. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, doctoral level psychologists go through an additional 5-6 years of graduate school in psychological therapy and assessment. Then they have to complete post doctoral, supervised practice hours, pass a national licensure exam, and in most states pass an additional state licensure exam before they are allowed to practice independently.
How do I know if I need psychotherapy?
There are many different reasons why people chose to see a therapist – to deal with past issues such as childhood abuse or trauma, family conflict, coping with major life events, improving self esteem, deal with anxiety, depression, or get help with eating, sleeping or sexuality related issues.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or unhappy, stuck on the same problem that comes up over and over again, or if you feel a general need for some extra support, then it’s probably time to look into finding a therapist.
Overcoming the Stigma of Therapy
Seeking therapy does not mean you are crazy, weak, or broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Instead, people seeking therapy are usually insightful, self aware, and want to grow as a person.
Life can be overwhelming and difficult. Horrible things can happen to good people.
Wanting to see a therapist, or having seen one in the past, is not a sign of weakness: it’s a sign of strengths. Allow yourself to receive a little extra support. We can all use a helping hand at times.
How does Individual Therapy work?
It can help you develop new insights and recognize old patterns
When you can talk with a person who does not have a stake in what choices you make, it can help you develop new insights and analyze old patterns in your family or relationships. You can understand the underlying causes of difficulties and explore new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. A therapist can help you learn techniques to manage difficult thoughts, self criticism, anxiety and other unhealthy thoughts and emotions.
It can help you learn new tools to regulate emotions and respond to problems.
Sometimes, there are difficult areas of one’s life that do not appear to get better with a person’s usual coping techniques. Or maybe it is the strategies you use to cope that cause more problems now than what they solve. A therapist can help you explore the role of old coping techniques and help you develop new, more healthy ones.
Improve relationships
If you grew up in a dysfunctional or abusive household, or you simply are stressed out and feel bad everyday, relationships are difficult to start and maintain relationships. You might hold back because you have been hurt so much before and don’t want to risk trusting again. Or you put up a brave face in an effort to shield others from your true emotions. You may be irritable and lash out at those you love because you feel so bad inside. Friends and family might start to pull away because they feel rejected or hurt.
Feeling bad, anxious or depressed is hard on all types of relationships. When you start working with a therapist, he or she can help you feel better and improve your relationships with others.
Therapy can help you feel more in control
Once of the strongest benefits of therapy can be hope, and to feel like you are taking back control over your life. Once you start working with a therapist, you have made a commitment to invest in yourself and improve your life.
Finding an effective therapist
It is important to feel like your therapist understands you, truly listens, and helps you find your own solutions. For therapy to be effective, you have to feel like you can connect to the person providing it. Look for someone who has experience helping people with issues similar to your own. Your therapist should be respectful, knowledgeable, and emphatic. If you feel like your therapist judges you, blames you, or pushes a specific agenda, it may be time to try a different therapist. Therapy should feel supportive and respectful.
