My Experience With Talk Therapy
About a year ago I made my first appointment with a therapist. I have always struggled with anxiety on and off and the pandemic made it even more difficult to manage. While it was initially scary, it was the best decision I made. If you are struggling with your mental health and considering talk therapy you are certainly not alone. Here are some important takeaways from my experience with talk therapy that I hope will help you.
Making the appointment was the hardest part.
If you are considering talking to someone, you might feel hesitant to pick up the phone and make an appointment. I spent many months considering talk therapy. It was one of those things I kept on my to-do list but kept avoiding because it felt uncomfortable. Once I made that phone call I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
It is important to trust and connect with your therapist.
I was lucky enough to connect with the first therapist I chose. If for some reason you aren’t getting the right vibe after your first appointment that is ok. Continue the search and find someone who you trust and feel comfortable with so that is a positive experience for you.
There is no shame in therapy.
At first, I was afraid to share with close loved ones what I was struggling with. I quickly learned that being open about the fact that I was working to improve my mental health was empowering. It’s important to remember you may not get the reaction you are looking for from everyone, but you will also get the love and support you need too.
You will get homework.
In order to get the most out of your sessions, you need to put the hard work in. I was told to journal for a few minutes each day and write down anything I was struggling with and also answer open-ended questions about some of the things we discussed in our sessions. This was a great way to clear my head and get my feelings out in moments where I really needed it. I also wrote down a cheat sheet of bullet points I wanted to discuss at my next appointment.
If you are considering talk therapy because you feel like you need more support, give it a try. It is never too late to start. While routine self-care practices such as exercise and meditation are great, they sometimes are not enough. You need to be heard too, mama.
