How can therapy help me?
A number of
benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide
support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues
such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood
issues, grief and stress management. Many people also find that
counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth,
interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the
hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a
difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits
you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into
practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy
include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself and your values.
- Increasing awareness of your triggers.
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence.
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy.
- Learning new ways to cope with stress, anxiety, grief and depressive feelings.
- Establishing ways to manage anger.
- Changing unhelpful behavior patterns and developing helpful ones.
- Developing effective communication and listening skills.
- Discovering new ways to constructively address problems in your family, marriage, social network or workplace.
- Identifying skills for improving your relationships.
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in
life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other
difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra
support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough
self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to
be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in
life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy.
Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you
need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever
challenges you face.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy.
Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce,
new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some
people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low
self-esteem, depression, anxiety or relationship problems.
Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with
skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point
where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more
effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking
psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to
make changes in their lives.
What is therapy like?
Because each person
has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different
depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the
current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to
your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the
previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy
can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more
difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development.
Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your
therapist (usually weekly initially). In the first few
sessions, I will gather background information and we will decide
the frequency of sessions and goals.
It is important to
understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively
participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help
you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore,
beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, I may suggest some things you
can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a
pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors
or taking action on your goals. Although I may make these suggestions, it is
ultimately your decision on whether you want to participate in these
activities outside of the therapy session.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to
mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved
solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy
addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that can
create road blocks to our progress. You can best achieve sustainable
growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to
wellness. However, in some cases medication is
indicated. Working with your medical doctor you can
determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication
and therapy is the right course of action. We will discuss in therapy
whether medication seems to be a treatment approach that would be useful to
integrate into your care. I may also coordinate care with your
physician (with your consent).
