Therapy

So, I was having a conversation today with a friend about therapy.  She is going through a tough time and I was trying to get her to see the value of going to therapy.  It's funny because while she doesn't think she is up for going to therapy right now, she does recognize its usefulness.  I know so many people like this.  They will agree that therapy is worthwhile yet they don't see how it can help them personally.

I have my own philosophy as to why so many people don't see therapy as viable option.  The main reason is that there is a stigma attached to it.  For some reason, even nowadays, people assume that there's something wrong with you if you go to a therapist.  Well, I guess that assumption is correct.  There is something wrong with you but there is something wrong with ALL of us.  Some of us have had very traumatic events that we need help processing.  Sometimes its the daily grind and daily struggles that we may need help with.  No one is perfect and we could all use someone we could talk to.  I know what its like to need this because I have been in therapy for the last 3 years.  I have had both extremely traumatic events and sometimes I have struggles dealing with life in general. 

I am blessed to have many wonderful people in my life who are more like family than friends and I know I can always go to them if I need an ear.  But even with that amazing support, I still needed a secure space where I could vent to someone who was objective.  Someone who had no emotional tie or connection to my life.  I could be completely honest with her because it wouldn't hurt her feelings and I knew I wouldn't be judged.  Its funny because sometimes I would tell her something and we would laugh about how stupid it sounded but I had the forum to say it out loud, no matter how stupid it was.  I felt comfortable enough to be able to tell her how I felt and know that I would only get honest and open feedback.  

This is another reason I think some people avoid therapy.  In order to address your issues, you need to be honest with yourself in order to get to the root of the real problem.  Most people are scared to do this.  I find that for the most part, most people know what they need to change in their life or they have an idea.  They may not like the steps they will need to make the change.  So its easier to say, I don't know why this is happening.  If you don't know, you cant fix it.  My therapist helped me to see that most things in life don't "just happen" or "just is."  There are reasons for it.  I had to be able to keep questioning why until I get to the heart of what a particular issue was.  I am now on the tail end of my therapy sessions but that's not to say I have no more issues or I have worked through or my demons.  I am just at a place where I have the necessary tools to help me get through it.

I know its not easy, fun or comfortable to verbalize when you have an issue but that's exactly what needs to happen in order to get past it.  There's no way around the pain, we have to go through it.  In going through it, we can get over it.  Therapy is one way that can help with this.

As always, thanks for reading and take care!!