Do you have to be in crisis to receive therapy?
No
There seems to be this common misconception of what exactly people come into therapy for. I noticed that my clients sometimes think that they have to have a crisis on hand to really get help.
Therapy is about exploring more into yourself and to begin connecting with yourself again. I wanted to jot down some of the top reasons that people go to therapy
1. Growth
You can come to therapy simply to grow and evolve. Life can bring you through tons of transitions that simply can become overwhelming. There is a growth process that happens through each transition that simply needs to be talked about with someone else (eg therapist). When you are in the headspace of wanting to change from an old to a new pattern this will need support. A therapist can be able to support you in that process.
2. Self-Awareness
What I love about therapy that you might have not known is the self-awareness process that happens. Self-awareness is about having that deeper understanding of yourself.
When you are self-aware of what your triggers are and /or your patterns you are able to be intentional with trying to change them. If you are not wanting to change them, simply being able to accept where you are is a good way to start. Self-awareness is about asking the right questions to start thinking deeper about why certain emotions or thoughts keep coming up for you. It also can entail someone bringing the parts of you that you may feel shame or guilt about and providing you with self-compassion through the process can be life-changing.
3. Non Judgment
What nobody might tell you when it comes to therapy is the fact you’re able to cry, get mad, disappointed, frustrated, anxious, or whatever emotions begin to come up in you without anyone judging you for it. Therapy is the place where you can have someone sit with you while you feel your emotions rather than resisting. The only way for the emotions not to take control over us is to be able to feel them. You want to be able to talk and be you without the fear of judgment for being yourself.
4. To Feel Again
When life hits you hard or you possibly grew up in a household where the people around you would make you feel shameful for feeling, can take a toll. A lot of individuals who resist emotions begin to start numbing their emotions without even realizing it. Therapy helps with being able to identify what you have been feeling and allowing yourself to feel the emotion without resisting it.
5. Listened To
You want to be seen and heard without someone putting the conversation back on themselves. A session is where someone sits down to listen to you and all you have to say. It’s the place where you can talk about the ones that do need therapy or the ideas that you have had in your mind that have been internally hurting you. It’s a place where you can have someone get a deeper understanding of yourself by simply someone wanting to listen to what you have to say.
What you have to say matters. Your voice matters. You deserve to be heard.
What is something you wish people knew about therapy?
