5 Ways To Know If Therapy Is Right for You.
Therapy, also known as psychotherapy, or counseling, is a professional service provided to individuals, couples, families, and people of all ages to help with mental health concerns, such as, but not limited to, anxiety or depression, behavioral concerns, or relationship problems.
Therapists have many different educational backgrounds, usually consisting of a masters or a doctoral degree in their field. Some therapists have a degree in clinical mental health counseling, some have a degree in social work, and others have degrees in clinical psychology. Regardless of the professional education, therapy can be a useful option for people looking for extra support in their mental health care.
While there are many different approaches to therapy, finding what's right for you might take a little work. Before exploring the different types of therapy, here are five different ways to know if therapy is right for you.
1. You feel like no one ever listens to you.
You're going through a hard time and you just want somebody to talk to. You discuss your concerns with your family and friends and all they want to do is solve your problem but you are left feeling more alone and confused, or even dismissed.
Therapy might be a good option for you in this situation. Therapists have listening skills to help understand what your needs are and will collaboratively work with you. Therapy isn't always about solving problems, but can also help people feel heard, validated, and understood.
2. You do not have family or friend support.
Often times people feel alone and isolated because they do not have family or friend support in their inner circle. If you are in this situation, you may benefit from therapy. Whether you are trying to get out of a situation because of lack of trust or have unhealthy relationships, therapy can provide a safe place to discuss personal problems in a confidential way.
3. Your family and friends are biased.
If you to talk to your family and friends, but they tell you what you want to hear or give a one-sided response, you may feel this is not helpful, especially if you are trying to make changes. Therapy might be right for you if you want an unbiased approach to problem solving.
4. You have heard people talking about specific diagnoses online and are wondering if they apply to you.
The Internet is a wonderful place to learn about yourself and find a community of people going through similar struggles. Many people have found solutions to their problems, utilizing social media alone. However, talking to a professional who can help rule out, or differentiate what may be going on specifically in your case, might be right for you. Together, you and the therapist can work on a treatment plan to help you with specific problems related to your situation.
5. Your mental health is taking a turn for the worse and getting support is urgent.
If you are in a situation that may put you or someone else in danger, establishing with a therapist might be right for you. Therapists are trained professionals who can help people in a crisis or provide additional resources to prevent a crisis from occurring. You can find a therapist in your location or online by a quick Google search or by visiting psychologytoday.com. If you are in an emergency, you should call 911 and/or go directly to your closest emergency department. If you need to talk to someone urgently, but you are not in imminent danger, you can call the National Crisis Hotline at 988.
There are many reasons to explore if therapy is right for you and you just read my top 5. You may have more questions or are ready to establish with a therapist, now. If you are in Alaska and interested in working with me, please schedule a 15-minute free consultation or book an appointment found a the top of this page.