Therapy, the Hottest New Pastime

THERAPY

Therapy has long been considered an almost shameful place where people with “problems” go to get help. Many people that go to therapy are embarrassed to admit that they go. On the flip side, an overwhelming number of people are proud that they don’t desperately need counseling. That being said, what constitutes a good candidate for therapy? As an aspiring psychologist, I can indeed say that everyone needs therapy. The act of receiving therapy is filled with a boatload of misconceptions. One misconception is that therapy is where you just sit and talk about your feelings. While therapy may include “talking about feelings,” it is vastly more in-depth than that. In addition to treating mental illnesses, a successful therapist allows you to accomplish numerous things during sessions:

- Managing relationships (romantic and non-romantic) - Discovering the causes of your emotional distress - Working to alleviate those causes - Developing more emotional maturity - Practicing how to handle people that lack emotional maturity - Better understanding of how your mind and the minds of others function

Hopefully, you can agree that the topics on this list would benefit anyone to gain more knowledge. So why have we labeled people who go to therapy as highly mentally ill and distressed? Our culture teaches us that activities related to emotional self-reflection will make us weak. We are scared to be even a little bit emotionally vulnerable for a myriad of reasons. But whether or not we acknowledge our inner thoughts and feelings, they will still be there at the end of the day. For this reason, it makes more sense that choosing to go to therapy does not show weakness but strength. It takes courage to be willing to self-reflect, especially on unpleasant things, and It takes maturity to want to work on yourself and grow.

Another reason so many people aren’t willing to try therapy is how daunting the process of finding a therapist seems. It’s expensive and time-consuming. Because of this, people don’t want to go unless they feel it’s the last resort. Undoubtedly, quality mental health care is hard to find the less wealthy you are. Sadly, our healthcare system is money hungry. However, there are some easier ways of finding an affordable provider. First, there are, in fact, some therapists who accept health insurance. Just a quick google search of which therapists in your area accept your insurance will provide you with a list of options. My favorite resource is Zocdoc.com for its simplicity. From that, you can stop stressing about the costs and begin focusing on finding someone who is a good fit for you and your concerns. Each therapist should have an overview of their areas of specialty, the age groups they provide to, and other demographic topics. In addition to finding therapy from an independent source, most universities offer free counseling services. At FAU, CAPS is available to all students. The faculty is composed of psychologists and licensed mental health counselors there to answer any questions you may have. CAPS tend to offer short-term counseling to students, which means only a few sessions will be offered. If you find yourself wanting a more long-term therapist that provides visits weekly or biweekly, the CAPS faculty can help you find a provider elsewhere. Nonetheless, it is a great way to dip your toe into therapy and try it out with minimal commitment.

THE HOTTEST NEW PASTIME!

A few people I’ve talked with have expressed that they tried out therapy, which didn’t do much for them. This, unfortunately, leaves them to believe that therapy “doesn’t work.” Successful therapy is possible for everyone, but there are some things to remember. Seeing mental health therapists can be similar to the process of seeing medical doctors. If you’ve seen multiple doctors throughout your life, you know that some were more helpful than others, and some were more pleasant to interact with than others. It may have taken a few tries to find one you really liked. This process of finding a compatible provider is even more integral for therapists. This is because if they are not trained well and do not mesh well with your personality, making progress in sessions will be difficult. Sadly, providers who offer more affordable care are sometimes less qualified and skilled than those who cater to the more wealthy. As a result, finding quality care is sometimes more difficult than it should be. Another thing to keep in mind is that therapy is a collaborative effort. If you don’t attempt to put in the effort and actually try, results will not magically appear.

Looking past all of the negative stigmas, therapy can be an amazing tool for so many people who are missing out. Your mind and your emotions are worth investing time in. After all, your thoughts, feelings, and actions are what dictate your entire life. I can personally say that finding the right therapist has changed my life in so many positive ways. And despite what people may have said, therapy isn’t for “crazies.”

written by alyssa nelson art by melania zilo