3 Ways that Mental Health Therapy is Useful
By: Dilini Dharmawardana, LMFT
Life is hard and figuring out how to make it through the tough times can be hard, however, having a therapist can help make navigating the difficult times easier. People, oftentimes, doubt the usefulness and need for therapy because therapy is not a quick fix and allowing the time for the effects to show is important. Therapists put a lot of time and energy into the work they do with the clients they see. Here are some reasons therapy can be useful and helpful to you or your child.
#1: Therapists can help you or your child build self-esteem
Therapists tend to be well-versed in different approaches that help you or your child build self-esteem without them even knowing it. Even if you or your child have a pretty good level of self-esteem, we could all use a little more. We could all use new ways to boost and build self-esteem because in everyday life it can be hard to feel appreciated and loved. Think about it: how often do you spend showing someone that you appreciate them and what they do for you? Therapy can oftentimes help you better appreciate those in your lives!
#2: Going to therapy means you know when you or your child need help
Going to therapy actually shows that you have the strength to admit that you or your child need help and you
were strong enough to get it for yourself or your child. A lot of cultures and people think that therapy is a bad thing because it shows that you have a mental disorder, but in reality people will look more highly on you when they see that you reached out for help in a time of need. Struggling by yourself is never the answer when there are people who can help you find solutions to problems that you may not have realized before.
#3: You can learn skills you never thought you would benefit from
I believe that every person at some point in their lives would benefit from therapy. Therapy takes time, effort, and money. Being willing to engage in the skills taught to you in a therapy session is important. When times get rough, oftentimes we need an outside perspective to help teach us skills that can help us get through it and still have healthy boundaries, emotionality, and stress levels. One hard part about being a therapist is children, teens, and adults who do not benefit from therapy because they or their parents haven’t done the work needed to improve. Therapy is not just about the therapist doing all the work and giving the client all the answers because we do not have them. Each client is different and what each person would do in an instance varies, so generally a therapist helps clients figure out the clients’ own solutions to their problems.
Therapy is a hard concept to get someone to buy into, but everyone could benefit from a little outside help now and then. Sometimes people do not believe the benefits of counseling until they have done it and gone through it themselves. But, counseling does work and people are benefitted by it. Think about it: if every person in the world received counseling and knew how to interact more positively, wouldn’t the world be a better place? So, reach out and get yourself or your child started in counseling today
