Seeking Therapy

^{It’s okay to see a therapist. Your mental and emotional well-being is just as important as breathing is!}

When we talk about self-care, sometimes we forget about our mental state. There is nothing wrong with saying that you need help mentally. There is nothing wrong with going to therapy. There doesn’t have to be something wrong with you to go to therapy. Sometimes, talking to someone who knows absolutely nothing about you is better than keeping everything bottled in. 

I’ve been going to therapy for over six months. Before now, I would keep most of my thoughts to myself, barely talking to anyone. My stress, anxiety, and depression reached a low point, and I knew I needed help outside my family and friends. So I found someone who offers a safe place with no judgment, no bias towards me, or situations I found myself in.

I’m not going to lie; there are days I feel more stressed after my therapy session than before. But by going to therapy and talking with my therapist, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my stressors and different coping skills to help during difficult times. 

If you’re on the fence about therapy, here are some reasons I recommend seeking a therapist. 

For one, therapy gives you a chance to talk to someone new. Trust me, it’s difficult talking to a parent or a friend about certain topics because you know what they are going to say or how they’re going to react. And sometimes, you don’t want to have that kind of talk. Talking to someone you don’t know gives you a chance to see a different perspective on a situation and how you can go about dealing with it. 

I have a hard time opening up about my feelings and expressing myself. Conversations with my therapist allow me to get to the root of my emotions and freely speak my mind. 

Another reason why going to therapy would be beneficial is because you learn different coping skills. With therapy, I’ve thought about my coping skills and how I can improve them. Let’s be honest here; no one is perfect, and everyone is under some type of stress. How we deal with situations is crucial to our everyday lives. I’ve learned that I need new coping skills to help better myself. 

Therapy is self-care, and you need to take care of yourself. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally. 

On top of therapy, I try to write in my journal once a day. I write about what I did during the day and I surprise myself with how many pages I have by the end. Reflecting on my day gives me peace and relaxation. Another form of therapy I do outside of seeing my therapist is a self-awareness journal that I bought from Barnes and Noble. The Inner Me gives me different prompts to answer, and I love it because it gives me a chance to connect with myself and learn what brings me happiness. 

I recommend therapy to everyone, but you have to give it 100%. Whether it be telehealth or in person, if you are truly honest with your feelings, your growth in therapy will go a long way. Don’t cut yourself short being cutting off emotions you don’t want to deal with. I found therapy to be a safe and open space to express myself without judgment. Maybe it’s time for you to do the same.