Been thinking about therapy for a while?
Perhaps you think you’re getting on fine without it and feel unsure about rocking the boat.
Not sure what good it would do, if you ‘really need it’, if you’d find any benefit?
Let me talk you through some of the main benefits of therapy:
- Speak to an impartial, non-judgemental person.
Sometimes we don’t want to speak about things because we don’t want to be a burden to others, we don’t know how the other person will receive what we’re saying, or it can feel like people we know are too involved in the situation.
A therapist is trained to listen and guide in an impartial way that gives you the space to say what you need to say and think about things more clearly.
You might find that getting things off your chest lifts a weight off you that you didn’t even know you were carrying.
- Get to know yourself more.
You might wonder how you became the person you are, or you might have never had the opportunity to stop and think about it.
Therapy is an excellent way to pause and reflect, to think about yourself, your likes and dislikes, your current circumstances, your early life experiences, your relationships, what’s important to you.
Give yourself that chance.
- Learn to communicate more effectively and assertively.
Communicating clearly and concisely involves conveying your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, making requests, saying no when needed, and dealing with disagreements.
This is not the same as being confrontational. Effective communication enables deeper and more meaningful conversations and connections.
Therapy can help you communicate with confidence.
- Learn how to set boundaries with your time and commitments.
Sometimes we can find ourselves helping everyone else out and leaving ourselves at the bottom of the pile.
Initially it can be lovely to help. But over time we burn ourselves out, run out of energy, and resentment can start to build.
Therapy can help you find balance so that you can continue to give whilst also looking after yourself.
- Move away from ‘fine’ towards calm, content, healthy, and happy.
Through life, we find ways of keeping our heads above water, to muddle through, to get on with it, to cope. So you wouldn’t be wrong to say you’re ‘fine’.
But what if you could be better than fine?
Therapy helps you prioritise what’s important to you. Acting in line with your values and interests does wonders for your fulfilment and self-esteem. You might be surprised how good you can feel once you’ve got your ducks in a row.
- Become empowered with tools to change thoughts and behaviours.
Perhaps you didn’t realise that you don’t have to continue thinking the same thoughts and doing the same things.
You are not your thoughts; you can change them. You don’t have to stay stuck in your habits; you can make new ones.
Whether you’re a people pleaser, a what-if worrier, a perfectionist, or a procrastinator (or all of the above), you can learn how to work out what’s helpful and unhelpful and how to change in small and sustainable steps.
- Improved physical health.
When you hear therapy, you might think mental health. And you’re not wrong. But therapy can also help with physical health.
There’s a reciprocal nature between physical and mental health. When our mind is clearer, we’re more inclined to make healthier choices; healthier choices look after our mind.
Therapy can help you become more active, make healthier choices, learn how to manage stress and anxiety, and can help you with strategies that can lead to improved sleep, reduced blood pressure, a stronger immune system, and stress-related aches and pains. - Have time that’s dedicated to you.
For some this may seem daunting at first. If you’ve not done it before you might wonder what you’ll talk about for an hour each week.
That’s where the therapist comes in.
It’s the therapist’s job to skilfully guide the sessions and help you open up. It’s different from talking to a friend, this time is just for you.
Sometimes people aren’t sure if what’s on their mind is important or relevant enough for therapy.
If it matters to you then it matters.
Therapy can help with all sorts of things:
- Managing stress, anxiety, or low mood
- Improving self-esteem, self-worth, or confidence
- Processing past experiences, life changes, or bereavements
- Building more work-life balance
- Reducing people pleasing
- Quietening the inner critic or imposter syndrome
The main thing I’d say is give it a go.
If you try it and decide it’s not for you that’s absolutely fine.
You could try again at a later date, or with a different therapist, or you could simply draw a line under it.
You’ll only be able to decide if it’s for you after you try it out.
So, let’s get started.
Therapy with Kirsty 