Why You Should Feel Good About Seeing a Therapist
Sometimes, seeing a therapist, psychologist, counselor or life coach gets a bad rap, but there are far more people who seek out these professionals than you'd think.
Making the decision to seek help from a pro for whatever reason (even if it's just the pressure from mom and dad) can not only be a step in the right direction, but it shows you're able to take charge and recognize when things you're dealing with—big or small—are out of your control.
If you've just started seeing a therapist or you're considering making the move, below are four surprising ways seeing one can be helpful.
1. You'll Have an Automatic Trust System
Whether we're carrying a deep secret or we simply want to vent about something that's driving us crazy, there's always the concern that someone we tell will tell someone else, judge us or change the way they act to us. A therapist, by nature of the business, keeps things confidential (with exceptions).
So that means if you made out with your bestie's boyfriend or you absolutely can't stand your stepdad, you're free to divulge that info to your therapist, risk-free. In fact, the more you tell them, the better off you are, because it will help them understand your situation more thoroughly and provide you with better tools to improve your life.
(Pretty Little Liars via Freeform)
2. It's Their Job to Help Make You a Happier Person
You have to remember that these people studied, in some cases, for years and years to sit in the chair they're sitting in today. They're not taking time out of their day to talk to you for the sake of bettering their health—they're doing it because they chose to make a career out of helping others. It's their passion.
They genuinely enjoy listening to you and doing what they can to help you get through whatever struggles you're experiencing or confusions you're having about life. So knowing that info, give them enough to work with so that they can guide you in the right direction.
3. You May Discover and Understand Things About Yourself You've Never Realized
Do you ever wonder why you always react to a situation the same way? Or why you're always drawn to the same type of people?
A therapist's job is to gather information about you and talk to you about your experiences in order to guide to you to answers. If you give therapy your best effort, you're likely to have those aha lightbulb moments, leading you to personal knowledge you didn't recognize prior.
(via Shutterstock)
4. They're Coming Into Your Life With a Fresh Point of View
Your parents, family and friends already have an idea of who you are and why you do the things you do. They know about your past and how you react to various people and situations in your life. They are also likely to have their opinions altered by others who you know you, too.
In the case of a therapist, their opinions are solely based off of what you tell them and how you present a situation.
Therapy can be an incredibly useful tool over time, but if you need something more immediate, HERE are several ways to deal with feeling emotionally overwhelmed.