Last week I went to the doctor for a check-in about my medication. It wasn’t a physical exam. I didn’t do any lab work. I just went in for the doctor to check my blood pressure and ask how I was feeling. The doctor mentioned a few preventative screenings I was due for based on recommendations and we scheduled some future tests. All were preventive measures to make sure my physical health was being properly monitored.
You might not think of therapy as preventive medicine. You might think that visiting a therapist is only for people who are in crisis or have a mental health diagnosis. In the past mental illness has been treated as a “fail first” illness, meaning you have to be in crisis to seek treatment.
Time to rethink what you think about therapy!
1. Therapy is time with a neutral third party. Have issues at work? Struggling with your teen and their TikTok Lifestyle? Is it time for mom to stop driving and you don’t know how to tell her that? Do you want to be a better communicator in your relationship? In a session, you can discuss your concerns with me to receive honest, direct, and non-judgmental feedback.
2. Therapy is time to be held accountable. Setting goals is easy. Meeting your goals may take some more work. When you need help being held accountable, I can check in with you during sessions, remind you of those goals, and develop healthy habits that make reaching your goals easier.
3. Therapy is time to address symptoms early. Many people have reoccurring physical illnesses. Some people are prone to getting a sinus infection every Spring. They know when the infection is starting and get to the doctor right away for medicine. Your mental health is no different! If you are likely to have anxiety when there is a life change or depression in the winter months, consider having more frequent appointments before the symptoms get out of control.
4. Therapy is time to work on the skills you already know. The skills you learn in therapy need to be used and refined. A baseball player will go to the batting cages to keep in shape and improve their skills. Therapy sessions are ways to practice and improve your skills. When life is going well, therapy can help it get even better!
5. Therapy is a way to end the stigma associated with mental health services.
There has been a stigma about mental illness in the past. There is shame and blame associated with mental health that has been placed on our society through miseducation and past history. By promoting mental health care as a preventative measure, we destigmatize therapy as a shameful thing and make it a normal process for taking care of ourselves. Addressing your mental health will equip you skills needed to process life’s stressors and manage symptoms that arise throughout your lifetime in a healthy manner.
You don't need a reason to come to therapy. I work with clients who are looking to improve their life, decrease their stress, and become better in relationships. Use the Contact page to reach out to me today and set up an appointment.
Susan Ellis is a therapist at Falls Counseling. She specializes in treating clients with life changes, disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and grief. Susan is accepting new clients.
Comments