When you’re going through it and managing a lot, it can be natural for some emotions to escalate as well. Maybe you’re noticing difficulties focusing, having lots of thoughts at once, feeling more down, or less motivated and energetic. It’s possible that seeking additional support may be helpful.
Let’s Normalize Asking for Help!
Asking for help can be so stigmatized for a number of reasons. Whether it is due to others’ perspectives and uncertainty you’ve been exposed to, having a negative experience when you asked for help in the past, societal stigmas, and so much more.
Let’s just take a moment to reframe those thoughts.
Seeking help doesn’t make you weak; it makes you strong. It can feel so vulnerable, and taking that step is brave! Openness to seeking help shows awareness, courage, and resilience.
How to Know if Therapy Could Help You
If you’re noticing changes in your mood that aren’t going away, this is a good sign that reaching out for support may help. Maybe you’re noticing that you’re feeling down more often, more stressed with racing thoughts that are hard to manage. Or maybe your motivation has declined, making it harder to do things. Losing interest in things you generally enjoy, feeling stuck, struggling with boundaries, or feeling disconnected can all be signs too. Recognizing unhelpful or repeating patterns may be another cue to seek support.
If you simply want a space to process challenges occurring in your life with a neutral person, that is completely valid.
How to Find the Best Fit
Consider How You’ll Pay for Therapy
Understand whether you’ll be going through insurance or opting for private pay. Many therapists accept insurance, though some are only private pay. Find what will be most manageable for your financial situation. Some people with insurance still choose private pay if their deductible or copay is high. It helps to check your coverage ahead of time so you know what each session might cost.
If you’re using insurance, be sure to filter therapists who accept your plan through your insurance provider’s website. You can also contact your insurance provider for a list of in-network therapists.
Finding Your Right Therapist
When searching for therapists, there are many options in most areas, including community mental health centers, group practices, and private practice clinicians. A quick search will show you plenty of possibilities. Online tools like Psychology Today let you filter by gender, specialty, therapy approach, insurance plan, and more. This can make finding the right fit easier.
For private practitioners, read through their profiles to get a sense of whether they may be a good match.
Once you’ve found a few possibilities, see if they offer a free consultation. This usually involves a 10- to 15-minute call to talk through what you’re looking for and ask questions.
Identify which therapist feels like the best fit and schedule your first appointment.
If you’re feeling uncertain about the therapist or therapy in general, allow yourself to attend a few sessions before deciding to stop. Meeting a new person can be intimidating, so try not to make any big decisions based on the very first session.
Of course, if the therapist is unprofessional, you feel unsafe, or something feels off, it is completely appropriate to look for someone else.
What to Expect in Therapy
Every therapist’s approach is a bit different, so know that this is not a one-size-fits-all! Often in the first few sessions, you will review paperwork, consent forms, and answer initial intake questions about what is bringing you to therapy, plus pieces of your background. You’ll spend time getting to know one another, building trust, and setting goals for what you would like to focus on. If it feels a little awkward at first, this is normal. You can ask any questions you have.
As therapy progresses, you will work on exploring and processing what you’re struggling with and take steps toward your treatment goals, such as reducing anxiety or improving communication. What you focus on will depend on your goals, the therapy approach, and what you hope your sessions will look like. You may learn new skills, practice them in sessions, and talk about how to use them in daily life.
If at any point you’re feeling unsure about the fit with your therapist or the therapy style, feel empowered to speak up. Therapists are not mind readers, so feel free to share feedback. Sometimes finding the right therapist is like finding a good pair of shoes. You may try a few before you find one that fits. And that’s okay.
Benefits of Therapy
There are many benefits to connecting with a therapist. Having a space to process is a big one. Talking through your challenges aloud, instead of just inside your head, can bring clarity. It can help you see things from new angles and build confidence in your ability to cope. Other benefits include improvements in relationships, better emotional management, learning tools to handle stress, reframing unhelpful thoughts, building healthier habits, increasing self-awareness, and feeling less alone.
Taking the next step to support yourself can help you show up more fully in all areas of your life — whether that is with your family, at work, with friends, or in stressful seasons. It is worth it! You are so worth it!
