Five Reasons Everyone Should Get Therapy

I love therapy. I’ve been going on and off for about eight years. Therapy is an important tool for me to stay on top of my mental health. When I was younger, I struggled with anxiety quite a bit. Therapy allowed me a safe space to divulge my fears and face them. I learned coping skills and anxiety no longer felt like a burden. It was something I had and after time, I didn’t even think about it anymore. Now, for the past year, my OCD has been popping up and bothering me once again. So, I’m back in therapy. Truthfully, if I wasn’t moving around so much I don’t think I would’ve stopped. It’s helpful and has given me a positive outlook. Here are five reasons I think everyone should get therapy.

• Air Out Your Dirty Laundry

We all have things in our lives that make us feel upset. They may cause shame, grief, or even anger. These emotions can be difficult to express. If it’s something that you don’t feel comfortable sharing with family and friends, you have a safe space to talk.

• Discover Things You Didn’t Know

Having a third party to listen to also means you can get input from somebody who is unbiased. I learn a lot about myself in therapy and that often helps me make decisions. Knowing who you are and creating lifestyle choices that work for you can impact your growth. You may even understand a situation completely different from how you saw it before. This can aid in conversations with others and once again help you grow.

• Set Goals and Boundaries

Any well-rounded person will tell you that you need to set up goals and boundaries. I’m a very goal-oriented person but I didn’t start making progress on them until I set boundaries. Often, people don’t intend to hinder you but they can by their own desires. Set yourself free and set some boundaries. Take responsibility for what is yours and let go of what isn’t.

• Understand Emotions

I always believed I was emotionally intelligent. It wasn’t until I started therapy that I realized I was blind to my own. I can feed off people’s energy and that can create a lot of confusion. I’ve developed emotional avoidance as a compulsion and understanding emotions are important. Without that understanding, it’s easy to shove stuff down and not deal with it.

• Grow

I touched on this with setting boundaries but the reality is, therapy is a great tool to help you grow. It doesn’t mean you are weak. The people I’ve met in therapy are the strongest people I know. Having the willingness to look at your own actions and how they impact your life is courageous. Blaming other people will only get you so far. Once you can own what is yours and move forward you’re on your way to making progress.

The first step of setting up an appointment is always the hardest. Once you get past those first few sessions and you’ve clicked with your therapist you’re set. You’ll look forward to the sessions. Okay, maybe you won’t. We all have a lot of stuff to work through. Eventually, you will get to that point though. I always feel lighter coming out of a session. I’ve taken the world off my shoulders. Everything gets put back into perspective and I can start another week with a new mindset. I reset to positive and grateful. That’s where I like to start off but sometimes I can get a little off track and that’s okay.