Not everyone needs therapy, but all of us could use it. Yet, those could benefit from it the most refuse to go. And that’s OK. One shouldn’t be shamed or forced to go to therapy. I had the fortunate and unfortunate privilege of being put in a situation where I almost had no choice. In other words, I was depressed and desperate, but it still felt like MY choice. However, if you are interested and just need a little nudge and support, I hope the following notes based on my personal experience eases any qualms you have.
Therapy doesn’t cure you. Well, if you didn’t want to go to therapy before reading that, I’m sure you really don’t want to go now. “What’s the point then?” you might be wondering. For me, therapy provided a safe space for me to pour my heart out – to vent and cry to someone unbiased without feeling like a burden. That alone was therapeutic, and getting to the root of some of my issues was an extra bonus.
Therapy is for “crazy” people. Possibly the most harmful of stigmas, this is what happens when you don’t normalize a clinically proven form of self-help. We can thank Hollywood and years of transgenerational shame and ignorance for this. Growing up, I thought only schizophrenics or the suicidal went to therapy. The truth is, you don’t have to be crazy to see a therapist, you don’t even need to be sad to. “Normal” people go to therapy and ideally, everyone would go to therapy.
Therapy is for the weak. The fallacy is you are weak for asking for help, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes courage to walk into uncharted territory, it takes confidence to swallow your pride, and it takes strength to keep going.
Therapy is a last resort. While therapy may not be your first choice, it shouldn’t be reserved for only worst case scenarios. We all have our own reasons for seeking therapy, and they can be little or big. It doesn’t always have to be about childhood abandonment issues or a single traumatic event, it can be as seemingly straightforward as not liking your job. In actuality, nothing has to be wrong for you to reap the benefits of professional help. I like to think of it as maintenance.
Whether you decide to go now or later, I’m very proud of you for taking a step towards healing, no matter how big or small it is.
