Mental.Health.Therapy.
Those three words can conjure up so many different thoughts and opinions. For some the words have no effect, positive or negative, because they may not know what it actually is. Others have begun to weaponize it as a means of belittling someone for not giving into their demands or expectations. While others have over romanticized it as the answer to all problems.
So, as a mental health therapist, I want to invite you to take some time to have some real talk about mental health therapy.
The first real thing to know is that sitting in mental health therapy is hard. Honestly, pulling yourself up by your good ol’ bootstraps feels easier than actually taking the time to unravel the mysteries of your brain, which is why we tend to do that instead of seeing a therapist. The problem is that, though it is easier, it is definitely not better or at all lasting. What mental health therapy can offer you is lasting change and flourishing, IF you do the work. Going to a therapist is hard because, if trained properly, they will challenge you to grow by removing the mindsets and behaviors that have been slowly eroding your life and keeping you from becoming the person you were created to be.
Why, you might ask, if it’s hard should I do it? Good question!
There are many reasons why. The first is because when you start recognizing the patterns of behavior that are limiting you, you will begin to replace them with ones that push you to flourish, and a flourishing person brings greatness to the world. Another is because you will begin to recognize your worth. Not in a way that is arrogant and showy – Those are actually patterns of someone who is insecure in who they are – rather you will be able to recognize your worth in a way that makes you take good care of yourself and treat the people around you with respect and kindness because you understand a human’s worth. One last one to share – Though there are many more- Is because you will be able to understand your needs in such a way that you create different boundaries with the people around you to keep you safe and not walls to isolate you.
Now, are you thinking, “wait, I thought mental health therapy was for “Crazy” people!”?
Not at all, mental health therapy is for all of us, it is a support system that Is outside of your inner circle that can help you look at the bigger picture of your life without the therapist having any “skin in the game” so to speak. It’s a place where you should feel safe to share all your struggles without concern of loss of relationships or negative judgement from the ones you love. With a good therapist you will get both challenged and encouraged to be the best version of who you are.
Now, I do think its important to talk about this word “Crazy” because it limits us from pursuing good things. If you look at the history of the word crazy, you will see that it originally meant broken, cracked, sickly, or diseased. If we align that properly with mental health then we can say that a crazy mind is one that is broken or sick. So rather than saying people are crazy I would say there are people who have disordered minds. There are many mental health disorders that therapy can help with, but not by itself, and though therapy is helpful to a disordered mind, it does not mean that it is ONLY helpful to them. I love analogies, so let me give you an analogy. Iron is a metal, I can make fences with it, I can make stair railings, and I can make weapons. Therefore, I must not ingest iron, right? Wrong, our bodies also need Iron to function, just because it is used for one thing does not mean it can’t also be good for another. Same with therapy, just because it can be used for mental health disorders does not mean it is not useful for ALL minds to be healthy.
Some of you have tried therapy and did not have a good experience. I can’t tell you how many times I have had clients tell me “You are my last therapist, if this doesn’t work, I’m done!” First, allow me to tell you how sorry I am that your experience was not a good one.
And, please, don’t give up!
Finding the right therapist for you is like dating. Not all therapists were trained equally, so, keep searching until you find the therapist that was trained to match your needs and who is ready to meet goals that are for your good and for your growth.
When searching for my own therapist, this is what I looked for:
- That they are pursuing their own growth.
- That they are not an island – they are in community with therapists to grow in their field.
- One that integrated compassion with accountability.
- I made sure they could integrate psychology with my faith, not one over the other.
- Lastly, I want to make sure that they understand that humans are physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual and know which issues apply to each aspect of the person to find the proper treatment. Even if it means they need to refer out!
I hope that you will search for and find a therapist that can be there for you as you journey into wellness and self-discovery so that you can be the person you were created to be. I would love for myself or one of our therapists in our team to come alongside of you on this journey. We opened our Practice, Cere Counseling and Wellness, with the desire to help ALL minds flourish.
We are here for you,
Give us a call at 704-252-5051 and let us know how we can help you grow.
