Therapy for Mental Wellness
Why you deserve it and what to do when you can’t afford it. Jocelyn Merrill is an educator and freelance writer-for-hire specializing in guest posts, blogging services, and copywriting. She has a passion for fitness, mental wellness and culturally responsive education. When she isn’t teaching, writing or teaching writing, you can find her chasing after her toddler. Find out more at jocelynmerrill.com and justworkingitout.com.
SUMMER 2021
Life comes with many unfamiliar turns – some of which bring us joy and others stress. Finding a trusted therapist can help navigate many of life’s twists and turns. The negative stigmas surrounding mental illness have finally started to change as we embrace mental wellness and acknowledge that some days, weeks and months are going to be tougher than others.
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Why You Deserve It For a long time, the misconception was that talk therapy is only for those who live with a mental illness such as anxiety, depression, or mood disorders. Now practitioners and patients alike acknowledge that therapy is not exclusive to those categories. Terri L. White, a licensed practicing counselor from White Diamond Counseling Consulting, explains “When clients attend therapy regularly, they are able to work with less stress, manage family issues, understand their role in relationships, and bring balance to their daily life.” What you learn about yourself with your therapist can help you build a toolkit for what to do in those moments that challenge rational thoughts and reactions. Demetria M. Jackson, a licensed marriage and family
therapist of Free to Flourish Counseling, says that therapy is “not just a form of self-care, but self-discovery that allows you to go through a process of recognizing the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that are showing up in your life.” According to the American Psychiatry Association, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in particular, sets the framework for changing our outlooks and thought patterns by replacing what’s negative and unhelpful with “more accurate thoughts and functional behaviors.” According to the American Psychological Association, talk therapy, particularly for those who live with conditions such as anxiety and depression, “leads to fewer relapses of anxiety and mild to moderate depression than medication use alone.” Therapy and Women More women are seeing the value in setting aside time for self-care and therapy, which can be the ultimate form of self-care and preservation. Demetria says that “women tend to be the nurturers” and “are often on the front lines of taking care of others at the expense of ourselves. Women are now dealing with even higher stress levels” due to the mega multitasking required of us during the pandemic.
