Therapy is for Everyone. - Emily Ever After Co.

Recently, two people who mean a lot to me have started therapy and I couldn’t be happier. (I’m talking with a third person that I care about that I think would benefit as well.) You see, I’m a big advocate for therapy as I know for a fact that I would not be here today had I not started seeing someone for help when I was finally diagnosed with PTSD after a long daily struggle with my mental health. Therapy helped me to find myself again, to forgive myself for what I didn’t know, to stop blaming myself, and to start my healing journey. The idea that it might help these people that I love (and maybe some of you who are reading my posts) is thrilling!

Everyone can use a little therapy.

When I was younger, I thought therapy was for crazy people. Then as I got older, I started thinking, well, maybe it’s for sad people. But then I realized it’s also for people who are anxious or stressed or scared or confused or overwhelmed. It’s for people who have gone through something, have PTSD, are neurodivergent or lonely. It’s for people who have a lot of dreams or ambitions the same way it’s for people who are struggling to find any meaning in anything. Therapy is for everyone.

The benefits of therapy

There are so many benefits to the different kinds of therapy that I couldn’t possibly list them all. However, I can tell you about a few. First, the feeling that you are not alone. Having someone to talk to who is impartial without any risk of judgement can do WONDERS for your mental health. It allows you to get things out, quiet the noise in your head, and sort through exactly how you feel. Therapy allows us to process our emotions, thoughts and feelings. It also helps us learn how to talk about and express those things, meaning improved communication skills.

Self worth and confidence tends to improve greatly after therapy. Processing the past and getting to the root of patterns or things in your life is another great benefit. Many trained therapists are also able to help you come up with processes and systems on how to navigate and cope with tricky areas or beliefs. This can all help towards lowering things like anxiety, depression and fear. It can help you figure out what you want and what you don’t want.

Sometimes, just talking helps.

There are times that you don’t even realize you’re dealing with something heavy. A therapist may be able to help guide you towards feeling lighter. Sometimes, you might get yourself there just because you’re talking to someone, giving a voice to the things trapped in your heart or mind. Even day to day can be discussed, and you might surprise yourself by finding a new appreciation for some things, while realizing a change is needed for others.

There are different kinds of therapy.

Along with talk therapy, you have hypnotherapy, art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotionally focused therapy. There are other kinds as well, but these are the ones that I have tried and had some success with. I’ll go into a little more detail on these later this month, but I just wanted to give a little intro into why I believe in therapy so much first.

Not every therapist will be a good fit.

I actually tried therapy when I was younger and had such a negative experience in my first session that I quit. I thought, this isn’t for me, and I walked away. It took years before I gave it another shot. And THANK GOD I did! It was such a completely different experience. Sometimes, that’s what it takes- a second chance with someone new. Maybe you need to try more than just two people. The thing is, you need to have a good vibe with your therapist because you will be creating such a vulnerable connection. If you don’t connect with someone, you’re not going to be able to build trust which means you won’t be able to fully benefit from therapy, as you won’t be able to let your guard down.

Therapy saved me.

Before going to therapy, I was in a downward spiral full of doubt, anger, fear and self hatred. I was in a lot of pain and having trouble getting out of bed in the morning. It was rare for me to go even a half hour without crying and I was dealing with a lot of suicidal thoughts. Therapy helped me to process every thing that happened to me, to stop blaming myself for the actions of the people who hurt me, and to build my self worth back up. I was able to change the way my brain worked to help heal and move on from my trauma and to build coping mechanisms for when my triggers got bad. Through therapy, I was able to build a life again and to let go of the fear that was keeping me trapped. I was able to move forward and I was able to find happiness- something I had once thought unachievable.

Now, I’m much further in my healing journey but I still favor therapy because it helps me to process my current normal. What is happening right now, how I feel about it, if there are things I need to change… Continuing to build my self-confidence and worth, working on my boundaries and on revoking the power that the past still holds on me. Therapy is a safe haven and a comfort.

If you’re considering it, I hope you’ll give it a try. What’s the worst that can happen? You waste an hour or so of your time. But the best that can happen? You improve your mindset, feel better about yourself and start building your dream life.