Before You Dismiss Therapy…

Here’s a common thought about Therapy:

Therapy is fluff.

Let’s take a step back.
Fluff is the stuff we have in teddy bears.
Therapy on the other hand is soul shifting and life-changing work.

Before you immediately dismiss the idea, consider this: Research has shown that verbalizing feelings can have a significant therapeutic effect on the brain. In other words, getting your worries out in the open (even the "insignificant" ones) -- particularly with someone trained to help you manage them -- is a good thing for your well-being.

You might be wondering what is therapy?

And how can I benefit from it?

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a way to help people with a broad variety of mental and emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.

Problems helped by therapy include difficulties in coping with daily life; the impact of trauma, troubled relationships, childhood wounds, medical illness or loss, like the death of a loved one; and specific mental disorders, like depression or anxiety. There are several different types of psychotherapy and some types may work better with certain problems or issues.

So here’s a counter thought:

Therapy can help you handle emotions from problems or stressors, even if they aren't dramatically life-altering or traumatic.

Therapy is a way of working with cognition, emotion, and interpersonal relationships in a way that helps you manage your emotions and learn to see them from a different perspective.

In other words, you don't have to go through a huge life event or trauma to benefit from therapy. Talking with a professional allows you to get a sense of how you appear to other people, helps you get feedback on whatever you're feeling, and offers insight into how those emotions are affecting your everyday life.

Therapy is an experience for all. For too long we’ve been taught to deal with our problems alone. When in fact that causes more societal issues like domestic violence, suicide, eating disorders, family tension, behavioral issues, etc…

If you are feeling the weight of stigma or shame when it comes to taking the first steps to begin therapy, we just want to encourage you to take that step for yourself. For your healing, happiness, and growth. We love therapy and have been on the receiving end of its goodness. We hope this inspires you to invest in your mental health too.