How can therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy.
Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping
strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles,
unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and
creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous
asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family
concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can
provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the
direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how
well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the
benefits available from therapy include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communications and listening skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you
may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced,
there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In
fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they
need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking
responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment
to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting
benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers,
re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may
be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job,
etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need
assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem,
depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts
and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement
and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a
point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more
effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy
are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in
their lives.
What is therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy,
therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can
expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal
history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights
gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs,
therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal
with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development.
Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your
therapist (usually weekly).
It is important to understand that you will get more results from
therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of
therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life.
Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may
suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process -
such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting
particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking
psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to
new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and
emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by
5/21/2021 Word to HTML - Easy to use & Instant Conversions
https://wordtohtml.net/site/index?tour=1 2/2 medication. Instead of just
treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the
behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable
growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to
wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for
you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right
course of action.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance
carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage
carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions
you can ask them:
- What are my mental health benefits?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
- How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a
client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of
trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed
anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a
written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect
that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is
called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist
to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team
(you’re your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist
cannot release this information without obtaining your written
permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to
maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and
elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement,
based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
* If
the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of
harming him/herself or has threated to harm another person.