Seeking Help from A Therapist?

[cottonsoul]

Hey everyone!

Life has a way of throwing us curveballs when we least expect it, and sometimes those challenges can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or any other emotional or mental struggles, sometimes seeking help from a therapist can be a valuable step towards finding solutions and improving your well-being.

Let’s come together to discuss the process of seeking help from a therapist, share our experiences, and provide support and guidance to those who may be contemplating taking this important step.

This is a safe and supportive space where we can share our stories, insights, and knowledge about therapy. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey, and seeking help is a brave and crucial step toward a healthier and happier life. Your experiences and wisdom can make a meaningful difference in someone else’s life

So… Here are two questions to kick off our discussion:

• What prompted you to seek help from a therapist, and how did you go about finding the right therapist for your needs?
• What advice or words of encouragement would you offer to someone who is hesitant about seeking therapy for the first time?

[Marshmallow.youghurt]

Hey @cottonsoul

I like how instead of a user asking a therapist, it’s now a therapist asking the question

I guess I’m gonna get the ball rolling…

I’ll try to make it short but am more than happy to expand/ share more if you’d like!

Personally, I wanted to seek therapy because I had some personal issues that I wanted to work on that were somewhat affecting me. Additionally. therapy has been helpful in helping me cope and manage with some of my symptoms of depression and anxiety by equipping me with skills/ tools. I also sought therapy to work on self- improvement.

Finding the right therapist can be difficult, frankly speaking I almost gave up on therapy but I’m thankful that I didn’t because after a couple of tries (by a couple I mean almost >8 times ), I finally found someone that is a right fit for me.

The right fit looks different for everyone, but generally, the therapist should be someone who is empathetic, is a active listener, doesn’t gloss over issues superficially, doesn’t dismiss your issues as well as someone you have a good rapport with/ am comfortable to share your issues with.

It takes time to build rapport and that’s why therapy milestone checks are important, after a set number of sessions (a number of your choice, generally 4-6 sessions are a good range), you should feel that you feel comfortable enough with your therapist and you feel that you’ll be making progress.

If you know that this relationship isn’t going to work/ pan out, don’t feel forced/ obligated to stay, avoid this mistake that many people including myself made. If your therapist is a professional, s/he will be able to handle and accept the decision because rapport is hard to determine/ understand, sometimes it just doesn’t work out and if s/he isn’t able to handle/ accept, that’s a red flag and you should leave immediately.

For someone who is unsure/ hesitant about seeking therapy, I would say that if you never try, you’ll never know. Don’t be disheartened if you haven’t found a good and right one yet, I took a lot of tries (over 3/4 years), I almost gave up but I didn’t because I know that when I do find the one for me, it’ll greatly benefit me and I was right! But don’t take it from me, try it for yourself and let me know! I wish you well always, take care!