What You Need to Know about Therapy

Earlier in the week, I posted a question on my social media sites asking whether people felt therapy was effective or ineffective because I wanted to gain insight on people’s perspective of therapy.

My opinion- therapy is very effective, and I’ll tell you why.

Many people function from a place of hurt, trauma and/or unconsciousness and as a result, it causes relationship or commitment problems, generational conflict and dysfunction, people develop interpersonal issues, etc., but most people aren’t aware of the root of their problem.

Therapy essentially helps people to ‘unpack’ because therapists are trained to use various techniques to help people identify the underlying issue. When situations are brought to surface, it triggers awareness and outlines the things that they have been unconsciously living through.

But here’s the thing when you begin seeking therapy- you must do your due diligence. And I mean that in terms of doing a self-assessment. For starters- you should have a basic idea of the issues you’re dealing with whether that be anger, childhood trauma, alcohol, or substance abuse, etc.,

Depending on your need, you may require a therapist who specializes in specific therapeutic treatments- such as cognitive behavioral therapy, humanistic therapy, integrative or psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal or supportive therapy, just to name a few.

If you do decide you would like to inquire about therapy, but need a little guidance, there’s an 800 number on the back of your insurance card. You can call the customer service line and ask them to provide a list of therapists within their network. Upon receipt, the number of available therapists could be overwhelming and cause someone with anxiety to reconsider because the list is too substantial. But I have a solution for that.

So, what you should do is- develop a criterion and what I mean by that is- depending on your need, you may feel more comfortable with a female therapist vs a male therapist. So, figure out whether you prefer a male or female therapist, do you have an age, race, or religious preference?

Do you prefer them to have a specific degree or certification in your area of trauma? Consider the distance of their office from your home… because if the office is too far, it may prevent you from consistently going to your sessions. Read their reviews; see what past and present clients say about their efficacy. Now, I’m not suggesting that their opinion should be a deciding factor, but employing standards will minimize therapist options substantially.

Therapy can be extremely effective if you are willing to be openminded and transparent…, it’s going to include picking scabs off old wounds, and its consistent work. Some days will be better than others but stay focused on the bigger picture- which is you are healing, and you will begin to transform into your most authentic being, and that’s the best reward you can give to yourself.

Trust the process.

~Kay