You probably already know that therapists help with relationship problems, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, trauma, etc., but you might not know that you can talk to a therapist about lots of other things too that might not be so obvious.
- Situations where you’re sure the other person is the problem. Even if you think it’s really your partner/friend/co-worker/boss/neighbour/parent who needs therapy and not you, a therapist can help you cope with other peoples’ unhelpful behaviours or habits, figure out why they bother you so much, and come up with strategies to reduce the stress they’re causing you.
- A toxic work environment. A therapist can help you identify and assert your own healthy boundaries, feel less hopeless and trapped, and find ways to take care of your mental and physical well-being–which can sometimes mean accepting that you need to move on to another job, if possible.
- Physical health challenges. Study after study has shown that our bodies and minds are deeply connected and that chronic stress can be incredibly harmful to both. A therapist can help you find ways to reduce your stress overall, motivate yourself to do things that are good for your body, and accept those challenges that won’t be going away any time soon.
- General “adulting” (no matter your age). If you struggle with procrastination, punctuality, cleaning, making appointments, etc,. a therapist can help you identify what might be making these things especially hard to get done. A lot of the time, negative beliefs about ourselves or the world and past traumatic experiences can be root causes.
- Being afraid of therapy! This one might seem counterintuitive but the best strategy is usually to be up front about how nervous you feel about the process. Most therapists offer a free consultation before starting sessions; talking to a few different ones and being honest about your feelings about therapy can help you find the right person and gives them a chance to go the extra mile to make you feel comfortable.
If there’s something missing from this list that you’re not sure about, you can always ask your current or prospective therapist if it’s something they can help you with. If for some reason they can’t, they may be able to refer you to someone who can.
Photo by Dev Asangbam on Unsplash
