Why I Go To Therapy
Should I go to Therapy?
The easy answer would be yes and then I could just end this blog post here and go back to watching Netflix. (Basic and proud). But seriously let's get serious. The most frequent question I get is always about therapy. "Is it scary?" "How do I find a therapist?" "Does it make me weak?" Hold your horses! Let's back up. The first normal question is always, "Should I go to therapy?"
Why I go to therapy
I'm going to speak from my personal experience because it's pretty damn obvious I'm not a medical professional. Therapy for me was never stigmatized like most mental health issues are in our society. I began going to therapy super young because my parents got divorced.*wah wah* I hated it, obviously, because I was like 10! But I was used to it, it was normal. I stopped going for a while because I decided to move to Los Angeles and become a STAR! Still working on that please hold! And as I got a little older my mental health began to interfere with my day to day life. We all are going to experience bad days and good days. But when the bad days begin to outweigh all the good days and prohibit them from even HAPPENING! That is when I decided to get help.
Asking for help doesn't make you weak. I truly believe it takes a strong person to know when to ask for help. Do you know how hard it is to admit you need it in the first place? That takes some fucking strength! The easiest way to ask for help is by leaning on those you trust and your primary medical team. It's typical and boring but it's true. I began my search for a therapist through my primary care doctor and started on my journey.
Going to therapy was eye-opening, to say the least. The thoughts in my head had gotten so out of control I didn't even know what was real and what was anxiety anymore. I was able to sit down with someone that actually had the answers. I quickly began learning the difference between anxiety and intuition plus was given tools to cope. The best thing about therapy is knowing it is a person you can trust. They aren't biased and they studied psychology simply to help you. When my therapist explains what my brain is doing, I believe her. I listen and take the tools with open arms. It's not like going to a friend and them saying, "Oh you're fine don't worry it's just in your head."
Therapy can be super intimidating and "weird" but it doesn't have to be. It is one hour a week I get to say everything on my mind to a person with no strings attached. The only string actually, is them wanting to help me. Oh wait, there's also the string of me paying them. Okay, so there's a couple of strings! But the point is they are only there to help. Not to judge or criticize. A lot of people think you have to tell your whole life story right when you sit down. That's not true. I dove into what was going on with me at that moment. As we worked on where I was at in life, many months later we started digging into the past to understand the present. It was organic but meaningful and only helped me in the long run.
If you feel anxiety about starting therapy that's normal. But over time that anxiety will fade. Therapy will become apart of your weekly routine and self-care regimen. I wouldn't be the person I am today without therapy. I don't even want to KNOW where I'd be without it. It has impacted every aspect of my life. Therapy gave me the tools to cope with my anxiety on a daily basis. Therapy got me sober when I was ready to do so. Therapy has given me a safe space I can count on.
It requires a lot of work once you're really in it, but the payoff is remarkable. I think everyone should be in therapy. The crazy people aren't the one's in it, they're the ones who don't go! If you're considering therapy, consider it an opportunity. If you wanted to get fit and found a new Pilates instructor wouldn't that be an awesome opportunity for change and growth? Pilates requires work and the results don't happen overnight. Your instructor doesn't expect you to do every move and be perfect at your first class. That's literally what walking into therapy is like. Going to a professional to get the job done.
I love therapy and I think you will too. If you thinking about it and at the end of this post, you're on the right track. Now reach out to friends or doctors for a referral. Try out some therapists and find the right fit. No seriously get off the blog and go take your next baby step! You got this.