People come to therapy at different times, for different reasons. In Part 1 of this series (you can read it here) , we explored three great reasons why someone would seek counseling:
- Your life has somehow changed recently
- You can’t quite seem to cope with the change adequately
- You feel overwhelmed
This week, we’re going to talk about three more ways you can tell if therapy might be the right choice for you:
- You want to maintain your well-being
- You want to get to know yourself
- You think there’s a chance therapy could help
Read on to go a little deeper into each reason:
You want to maintain your well-being
Do you feel safe, content, and balanced?
There’s no wrong way to answer, but this question might give you a peek into where your well-being is today.
Well-being is a state of general contentment with life and the way things are. If you’re able to put the rough days in perspective, and feel connected to people, purpose and community, you’re experiencing well-being!
It might sound strange for us to suggest therapy if you’re already feeling pretty good about things. We want to normalize going to therapy before things get out of balance. While therapy is useful in times of crisis and extra stress, you can absolutely go to therapy without having a major life problem or unbearable distress./
You want to get to know yourself
Have you ever thought about why you do the things you do? Or maybe why you react to certain events or people in confusing ways? We’ve all had the experience of saying something unexpected, and immediately we think, “Whoa – where did that come from?!”
In therapy, your counselor can help you learn about … you! They’re trained to (nonjudgmentally) spot patterns that you might not have noticed before. In some cases, you might even find that things you haven’t thought much about before – such as your family or past events – have a huge impact on your “right now.” As therapist Nedra Tawwab says, “Therapy is a space to learn more about yourself, your relationships, and how your life experiences impact you.”
An important part of any relationship is getting to know someone. It’s a lot easier to be present with another person when you’ve had practice being present and understanding with yourself. Just remember to be as kind and forgiving to yourself as you would be to a new friend.
You think there’s a chance therapy can help
You’re reading these blog posts for a reason!
If you’re reading this, we want you to know it’s never too early or too late to seek counseling.
Many people come to therapy with issues that are difficult to face alone. Maybe you’ve already tried to bring yourself back into alignment. You might even have participated in different therapies in the past (such as talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc). Sometimes, professionals and their clients just don’t “click” or their specialty isn’t right for what you’re carrying.
Everyone’s situation is unique, because people are unique. Reach out to us to learn more, and see how we can help support you!