What to expect?
How to know it's time to go to therapy?
Fun fact: you don't have to wait for things to get absolutely worse before going to therapy. Make that call as soon as you feel it's time.
Therapy can help you:
establish new, healthy habits or break bad ones;
relieve mental health conditions or symptoms;
Work through any pain or grief you have been repressing;
Learn more about who you are and what makes you who you are;
Review your thoughts and beliefs about life and the world
and so much more
How to know the credibility of a therapist?
Verify their educational qualifications. A psychologist should have a minimum of a master's degree in psychology from a recognized university.
Verify their license (in the case of a clinical psychologist).
Have a look at their LinkedIn profile, if available
Read about their work through testimonials, or reviews in case you find them through apps.
Do a small (5-10 mins introductory) telephone call to know more about them.
Give it a few sessions to see how you feel about it.
Calling your therapist for the first time: Dealing with nervousness
Starting anything is challenging, especially if you've never done it before. All of us resent change. Write down all the worst things that could possibly occur if you begin therapy, as a simple exercise to get you started. This can assist you in realising that even if the events you are fearing do occur, you will be able to bounce back. Writing down your fears can also assist you in gaining some perspective and realising that they are just that—thoughts. You might also think about telling a reliable friend that you want to start therapy but are hesitant to call. It's even better if that friend has previously undergone therapy because they can describe the experience to you.
How is therapy helpful for personal growth?
The fact that it differs for everyone adds to the ambiguity of the personal growth process. Sometimes it results from picking up a fresh philosophy or skill. Sometimes it results from gaining more courage or self-assurance. Sometimes, it simply requires letting go of the uncertainties that prevented you from being who you truly are in public. Over time, the person (self) you know or once knew starts to diverge from the person other people perceive you to be over time. You may be aware of it at times, but there are also times when you begin to identify with your false self and lose sight of who you really are. You consequently lose touch with joy.
By leading you to and through your subconscious, therapists can be of assistance. They can assist you in reassembling the pieces of yourself that have been lost. They can lead you on a quest to unearth long-buried desires, passions, and dreams that would have been nearly impossible for you to locate on your own.
Some basic myths related to therapy
It's high time we stopped getting caught up in the stigmatizing beliefs about therapeutic treatment. Here are a few of them to look out for:
Going to therapy means you are weak
Going to therapy means something is necessarily wrong with you
It takes too much time and costs are not justified
Talking about your problems won't change anything.
It's just talking. It's the same as talking to a friend.
You will lose your creative abilities if your problems are solved after going to therapy
I just have to show up for sessions and everything else is my therapist's job.
Therapy will be so stressful that I will become too vulnerable.