SEVEN Reasons You Might Want to Try Therapy

If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance you might be considering therapy. Therapy is a significant investment in yourself. It’s work. To see results, you need to put in time, energy, and often, your own hard-earned money.

So, how do you really know when it’s time to give therapy a try? Here are seven reasons why people find themselves in my office:

1. There’s an event or catalyst, and you’re not sure how to cope.

We’re talking about the big things: a death, a diagnosis, an affair, a divorce. The trigger might even be a happy event (i.e., getting married, a new baby), but if you find yourself feeling anxious, overwhelmed or even incapacitated by the change, it might be time to seek help.

2. You’re having a problem managing your feelings or emotions.

If you’re having crying jags, angry outbursts, bogged down with icky guilt or shame, or even feeling “too happy,” therapy can help you better understand and regulate your emotions.

3. You’re behaving in a problematic way. Again.

Are you drinking too much, always yelling at the kids, perpetually choosing the wrong romantic partner? If you find yourself repeatedly behaving in ways that you or your loved ones find worrisome, therapy can help you examine your actions, better understand their motivations, and formulate a plan for change.

4. You have a relationship that’s in crisis.

When your most significant relationships are in crisis, it can feel like the whole world is falling apart. Relationships provide us with identity and meaning. Therapy can help you build and repair relationships, mourn a loss, resolve conflict, set healthy boundaries, and strengthen intimate connections.

5. You’ve noticed thought patterns you want to change.

Have you noticed yourself caught in negative thought patterns or cruel self-talk? Are you ruminating, worrying, obsessing or stuck in unhealthy fantasies?  Therapy can show you how to intervene in harmful thought patterns (i.e. low self-esteem, perfectionism, body- shame), and have a positive impact on your self-perception and overall quality of life.

6. You feel stuck, burned-out, or overwhelmed.  

Nothing’s exactly wrong. But you can’t shake the feeling that something’s not quite right either. You need to make a change, but you’re not sure where to start. Every little thing is a task and you feel like you’re drowning. You’re perpetually exhausted and nothing is fun anymore. These are real and significant signs. Addressing them early can help head off a more serious crisis.

7. You have physical symptoms that are interfering with your happiness.

Your physical health has a strong impact on your overall wellbeing. Therapists aren’t medical doctors, but we often help clients manage challenging illness, temporary or chronic medical conditions, and various physical symptoms or conditions (i.e., insomnia, weight loss, chronic pain, menopause, etc.).

If any of these situations ring true for you, maybe you’re ready to explore therapy to address your concerns.

Have questions? Think you might be ready to give therapy a try? 
Connect for a FREE 20-minute telephone consultation.

Read more on “SEVEN MORE Reasons You Might Want to Try Therapy" (Part TWO).