There are a variety of reasons why clients come to therapy and it may be surprising to many that not everyone who goes to therapy struggles with their mental health. This is a common misconception and something that still creates stigma around seeking therapy. Whether you’re struggling with your mental health or not, sometimes talking to a professional who will listen and provide a safe space for you can be a healing experience.
Let’s look at some common reasons why someone might want to start therapy!
Feeling Stuck
One of the most common phrases I hear in the therapy room is “I feel stuck”. Many clients seek therapy because they feel there is no movement happening towards their goals and they just cannot seem to head in the direction they want to - despite knowing the problems or despite knowing where they want to go. Others may feel stuck because they have no idea what they want to do and they’re at a standstill. These times in our lives are often prompted by certain life events or changes (e.g. moving to a new country, ending a relationship, changing jobs). They can also come from a sense of things not changing - a realisation that things have been the same for so long and that moving towards change is a scary thing to do. Whatever the reason for feeling stuck, it’s a valid reason to go to therapy. A therapist can help you to process this stuck feeling and help you to gain some momentum towards your goals.
Managing Mental Health
As stated above, one major reason that people come to therapy is because they are struggling to manage their mental health. Anxiety disorders and depression are amongst some of the most common reasons people talk to a therapist.
Seeking therapy for mental health should not be something that we judge people for because it’s more prevalent than people might think. One in eight people globally are diagnosed with a mental health disorder - that means that they meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis - which in turn concludes that mental health is on a spectrum. Our mental wellbeing can shift and change over time and a combination of our genetics and environment will play a role. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted mental health around the world and we are still in the midst of its effects. There has certainly been an increase in seeking mental health services due to the effects of isolation and uncertainty during the pandemic.
So, if you are struggling with managing your mental health you are certainly not alone and it is one of many reasons to seek professional help.
Improving Relationships
Humans are social beings so it’s no wonder that relationships are a big part of our lives. Whether it’s family, friends or romantic relationships, many people find it difficult to maintain healthy relationship dynamics. By the nature of relationships, there is usually another person or people involved - and since we cannot change or control others - we can only work on ourselves and how we want to be in relationships.
Many people struggle to begin relationships - for example, how do you make friends as an adult? How do you find a romantic partner? These are common questions I hear from clients.
And, of course, another big part of relationships is often the ending of them. It could be a breakup, falling out with friends, losing a loved one - there are many ways that relationships can come to an end and processing that loss can be challenging.
Whether you’re looking for friends, a partner, wanting to improve existing relationships, or overcome the loss of a relationship, therapy can help us to understand our relationship patterns and make changes towards our relationship goals.
Finding Yourself
Sometimes we might feel a bit lost in life and that can often stem from a lack of connection with ourselves. If we are not connected to our emotions, our values, our experiences, then it can feel difficult to navigate the world, and we often then look outside of ourselves for answers. Sometimes we might find answers with a little guidance but other times looking outside ourselves can cause more confusion and we may end up getting further away from ourselves.
Since therapy is for you and about your experiences, by its nature therapy can allow you to connect with parts of yourself that you may have been avoiding, that may have been hard to access, that were not given space before. By connecting to these parts of yourself it can reduce that feeling of being lost and not knowing what to do. By knowing yourself more deeply it can also improve your relationships with those around you. There are so many benefits to connecting with yourself but if you don’t have a safe space to do that then of course it will feel difficult. That’s where therapy can help.
Letting It All Out
Doesn’t it feel good sometimes to just get everything you’re feeling out and off your chest? Just the simple act of telling somebody about your thoughts and feelings can be a relief. It can be heavy to carry and hold things in.
Therapy is a safe and non-judgemental space so you can feel heard and understood. Even if your circumstances don’t suddenly or drastically change, one great benefit of therapy is that hopefully you can feel a bit lighter after a session
There are probably a hundred more reasons and benefits for therapy that could be listed but these five sum up some common themes of therapy. If any of them resonate with you, or if you have a reason that isn’t listed here, whatever your concerns may be, therapy could be the solution. Why not try taking the first step and book a session?
Written by Melanie Ersapah, M.S., MBACP
References
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240049338
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