Should I start therapy?
Making the first step in reaching out for support is often accompanied by overwhelming emotions, doubts, and spiralling what if’s. Usually, the decision to start therapy is jump started by some catalyst, whether that be a big life event or a motivated intention. This week’s blog discusses when the right time to start therapy is.
What is therapy?
As with anything that is associated with the human mind, therapy is a complex, intricate means to understanding your life a bit better. At its core, therapy is a collaborative process between you and a trained professional to explore individual thought patterns, emotions, past experiences, and navigation of future experiences. Therapy is not a quick fix to a current problem. Every reason to start therapy is a valid and correct reason. To learn more about therapy as a process, I highly recommend you read Why Therapy isn't a Quick Fix.
Recognising the signs
It can be difficult to pinpoint the moment when starting therapy is beneficial for you. As has been mentioned, therapy is not made only for those who are currently going through a challenging time, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the perfect time.
If you are looking to start therapy for guidance while going through a tough situation, there are certain obvious signs we can look out for. These include, yet are not limited to:
loss of appetite
difficulty falling asleep/staying asleep
withdrawal from social networks
stress eating
unmotivated to take part in activities you once enjoyed
Other than the signs mentioned above, if you are struggling with navigating new or unfamiliar events in life, therapy can be of great help. Transitional phases of life involve lots of moving pieces, and talking to a trained professional during these times can help you understand your feelings better.
If you are looking to start therapy with no current big life event, there are still some signs you can look out for. These may include:
certain triggers that don’t recall being created
difficulty understanding and navigating your emotions
looking for guidance in relationships
motivation to understand your thought patterns with greater clarity
How ready are you?
Once you have figured out your purpose for starting therapy, it is beneficial to assess how ready you are for it. Of course, if this is your first time starting therapy, you will have less information about how the process is.
While every therapist is different and has their own approach to supporting you, here at TMP, we prioritise your creation of a life that is meaningful and fulfilling to YOU. On this journey, honesty and open-mindedness are crucial. As someone wanting to begin therapy, you need to be honest, both with yourself and with your therapist. The suppression of your genuine thoughts and emotions harms the journey to understanding yourself better. If you are dishonest with your therapist, they will not be able to help your authentic emotions and feelings.
Therapy is a collaborative approach. You are reaching out to a trained professional to guide you in navigating your past, present and future patterns. As such, your readiness to starting therapy requires a level of open-mindedness. We grow when we are put outside of our comfort zones and often this can entail learning to adopt healthy and adaptive coping mechanisms.
We encourage you to keep honesty and open-mindedness at the forefront of your collaborative partnership with your therapist.
All this to say…
Ultimately, the decision to begin therapy is deeply personal. There is no criteria you need to meet to begin therapy. Whether you are going through tough times currently, or if you are wanting to adopt healthier mindsets to your day-to-day life, no purpose overshadows another.
Warmly,
Ruchi.