Let's Talk About Therapy

Right before I went to go see my first (of many) therapists I was young, maybe 8 or 9 years old and I remember I felt embarrassed, like something was wrong with me if I had to go to a therapist. Therapists were only for people who were messed up, right? I thought that by going to a therapist I was weak, not trying hard enough to make myself better. Well, it turns out therapy really wasn’t for me. I had a hard time opening up to a stranger and I tried different therapists at different ages but they never really gave me that “A-ha” moment that you see on TV shows for which I yearned for. I probably was not as patient as I could’ve been but I knew that therapy was not the route for me. Yet, it is the path for a lot of people. Therapy does not mean giving up, it means being strong enough to realize you need support, it means you are willing to accept help, and it means you want to get better.

This post is for the type of person who finds solace and comfort in therapy and for those who do not. As I mentioned above, therapy was never for me. I responded better to medication. I’ve always been self-reflective and I felt more comfortable opening up to those I was close with. At first I thought maybe I was cold for not being willing to open up so readily to someone- especially a trained professional. But therapy is not for everyone. Some people need to figure it out on their own, others don’t like someone they barely know giving them advice. There is nothing wrong with this type of person. Other people really enjoy going to therapy. They find it helpful to have someone to talk to, someone who will listen and provide sound advice. There is also nothing wrong with this type of person. The important thing to remember is that every person is unique which means every person has different needs and every person tackles challenges differently. It’s about knowing who you are, what you need, and not being ashamed to ask for it.