Why go to therapy?
Have you been curious about therapy, but wondered why you would actually go? This is a great question! Therapy is often associated with diagnoses or harmful assumptions like “mental breakdown”, “crazy”, “too sensitive”, or “lazy”. However, that is untrue. This article hopes to normalize your experience; it happens to others and is happening to many others right now. Some of those people are in therapy and could experience it less often or with more ways to process it.
Therapy might be helpful when:
✨ Conflict feels inevitable.
Sometimes it feels like no matter what I do everything ends in a fight: with my partner, my coworkers, strangers on the street. Sometimes I find myself starting fights even when I don’t really want to. Sometimes I want to try something new, but I don’t know how!
Thoughts like these are not uncommon. It can be painful. It can be defeating when it feels like no other options exist. Therapy can provide new skills to individuals, couples, families, polycules, friends, etc. Therapy could help us learn why we respond the way we do. Therapy can model a new way to communicate and be heard.
✨ Decisions feel impossible.
Sometimes I can’t make a decision, because there are too many possibilities. It’s overwhelming! Sometimes I find it hard to figure out where to start. Sometimes it feels like I keep making the same decisions over and over again, but I always end up feeling disappointed. I saw a TikTok about decision paralysis, procrastination, ADHD, depression.. it’s a lot to take in. I relate to some of these TikToks, but they don’t give me any alternatives.
Whether you want to explore your options, discover the patterns, learn new skills, or confirm that you are not lazy or incapable… Therapy may be helpful to you.
✨ Life is hard to untangle.
No matter how boring your life feels there is a lot going on and it can be complicated or confusing. You may have heard things like, “Therapy is great, because I can get an unbiased opinions”. While therapists are still human beings, they can be less biased than other people in your life. Your family or friends might find it difficult to have deep or difficult conversations. Your elders may have outdated ideas that don’t reflect the world you are living in. Unlike your friend with terrible advice, the therapist is professionally trained with many more tools. Do you ever feel different, but you’re not really sure why? Your town’s values might not reflect your own, but the therapist can help you discover yours and live accordingly. The therapist can see the fullest version of you rather than just bits and pieces.
✨ My emotions feel unpredictable.
Do you ever feel like your emotions go from zero to 100 real quick? Do you find yourself crying even when you don’t want to? Do you ever feel like your emotions are in charge, not you? Do you ever get confused why everyone else is having a reaction besides you?
Therapy can help navigate those experiences and learn what you are actually experiencing. Therapy can give you new words to express yourself, new ways to ask for support, or new tools to gain a sense of control.