Therapy can be a lot of work, but your effort will pay off in the end. Therapy is rewarding because you’re bound to see positive outcomes any time you focus on yourself to better your life. But have you wondered “do I need therapy?”
We’re diving into all the benefits of counseling and therapy here to showcase why you might want to seek therapy. There’s nothing better than putting in the time and seeing your life change.
Read on to learn some of the most rewarding benefits of therapy and why you might seek out a therapist.
What Can Therapy Help With?
Therapy is a positive way to deal with trauma, pain, or any issue you have in life so you can become a healthier, happier, more peaceful person. When you develop coping skills, learn how to let go of negativity, set boundaries, or deal with certain situations in a positive manner, you can finally start living that full life you’ve always pictured.
“You don’t have to wait for a crisis moment in your life to see a therapist. You don’t have to live in suffering. You can see a therapist when things are going really well in your life, or when you’re about to go through a big life transition.”
Talkspace therapist Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC.
But there are even more benefits of therapy than just these. It can also help with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, obsessions, eating disorders, and more. Therapy can teach you how to deal with divorce, manage grief, or build healthy relationships (romantic or those with family or friends).
If there’s anything in life that you’re struggling with, or if any situations or relationships are starting to interfere in your daily functioning, it might be time to start thinking about therapy.
Therapy can help you process many common, yet difficult things in life, including:
Wanting to better yourself or your lifeManaging your anxiety or depressionFeeling like you’re overwhelmedDealing with a serious life change or transitionNavigating relationship issuesGetting through a crisisLearning how to deal with aggressive people Learning how to manage anger issuesHaving difficulty concentratingWorking through difficult or stressful family dynamicsOvercoming or managing substance abuse and addictionLearning how to deal with difficult or toxic peopleDrinking too much or doing drugsEating disordersThoughts of self-harm or suicide
Top 9 Benefits of Seeing a Therapist
There are many benefits of psychotherapy, which is also known as talk therapy. Research shows that close to 75% of people who begin psychotherapy see some benefits after six months of treatment.
Knowing what kinds of positive outcomes are possible might help you decide if (and what type of) therapy is right for you. Different types of therapy will offer varying benefits, and certain forms may be more well-suited for various struggles. Learn more about the benefits of psychotherapy below.
Improve communication skills — Therapy can help you learn how to have healthy, productive, positive communication skills. Being able to effectively communicate means you can successfully navigate virtually all areas of your life. Whether you tend to shy away from confrontation, get angry too quickly, or feel anxiety when having a direct conversation, therapy can help you gain the skills you need to feel confident any time you’re communicating with others.
Learn to resolve conflict — If you find it challenging to successfully handle any type of conflict in your life, therapy can be beneficial. You can learn how to set healthy relationship boundaries, be direct with your needs, and confidently ask for things that you hope to get out of relationships and situations. Conflict resolution is an important skill for anyone to learn, and the stronger you become, the better you’ll be able to deal with many other aspects of your life.
Treat mental health conditions — Therapy can be effective in treating a number of mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and more. Putting your mental health first and getting the help you need is a sign of strength and something to be proud of.
“Getting to the root of what’s causing a mental health condition is one of the most beautiful and beneficial parts of working with a therapist because it can be incredibly freeing. Processing our core beliefs and hurts helps to create long term behavior change in our lives. If we don’t get to the crux of the issue, it’s like putting a bandaid on a major wound — it might stop the bleeding in the moment, but it won’t help in the long term.”
Talkspace therapist Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC
Collaborate with your family — Therapy can be very useful in overcoming internal family struggles. With both individual and group therapy options, a therapist can help mend bridges and develop healthy communication strategies that can help families to overcome trauma, grief, addiction issues, and more. Whether you get individual therapy or seek family therapy, you are sure to see some improvements within your familial relationships.
Develop coping skills and strategies — Having a plan of action is key if you want to face any of your struggles head-on. Therapy teaches you how to develop strong coping skills and strategies. Armed with these coping skills, you’ll be able to offset things that are holding you back in your life. When you know how to positively and productively work through issues and problems, you’ll be able to grow and overcome just about anything that tries to stand in your way.
Learn to find healthy, positive support — Having the right support to get through those tough periods in life can be a game-changer. If you have a difficult time finding a strong support system, you hate asking for help, or you tend to attract toxic relationships that don’t add value to your life, therapy might be able to help. During treatment, you can focus on changing the behaviors and thought patterns you currently exhibit, which are likely contributing to any difficulties you’re having.
Change negative thought patterns — What we think, we manifest. If you’re consumed with negative thought patterns that are interfering with your life, therapy can help. You’ll learn to first identify what you’re doing and then begin to retrain your brain to think about and approach situations differently. Anything from facing conflict to addressing your fears to breaking dysfunction in your relationships can be addressed through therapy. It works by changing negative thought patterns.
“One benefit of psychotherapy that I see most is that when people learn more about themselves, they begin to create a life that feels more authentic to them. Therapy can help with this by uncovering subconscious limiting beliefs we have, exploring them, integrating them, and then taking action to break old patterns in our lives that no longer serve us.”
Talkspace therapist Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC.
Alter negative behaviors — Like our thoughts, sometimes our behaviors become detrimental. They can keep us from living a positive and healthy lifestyle. Maybe you struggle with addiction, or you tend to self-sabotage, or there are other negative ways you behave. Therapy can help you alter those behaviors that are having a negative impact on your world and relationships.
Better productivity at work — When you feel better, you do better. The importance of therapy goes beyond your mental health. Getting therapy to address certain aspects of your life can help you be more productive in other areas, including work. Some research has even shown that there’s a direct correlation between seeking mental health help and a reduction in missed work.
Getting Started With Therapy
Talk therapy is known for its powerful ability to help you work through any of the challenges you face in life. Online therapy with Talkspace is an excellent way to gently enter into the world of therapy. It’s convenient, effective, and flexible. You can get the therapy you need, when and how you need it. With Talkspace, you’re well on your way to addressing any mental health condition, working on your relationship, or simply learning more about yourself so you can be the best version of you.
“When you’re going through a challenging time, therapy can be incredibly beneficial to process what is going on for you, what it’s bringing up from your past, and how you can best move forward. You deserve help, and you deserve support.”
Talkspace therapist Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC.
One of the most important things to know about the benefits of counseling or therapy is that it’s never too soon to get help. Seeking therapy is a sign of courage and strength. Learn how to find a therapist online with Talkspace today.
Sources:
1. Ching, PhD J, Londoño-McConnell, PhD A, Ducharme, PhD E et al. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding. Published 2020. Accessed September 10, 2021.
2. Muramatsu K, Fujino Y, Kubo T, Otani M, Matsuda S. Relationship between treatment and period of absence among employees on sick leave due to mental disease. Ind Health. 2019;57(1):79-83. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2018-0055. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363582/. Published January 2019. Accessed September 10, 2021.
3. Your Adolescent – Anxiety and Avoidant Disorders. Aacap.org. https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Anxiety_Disorder_Resource_Center/Your_Adolescent_Anxiety_and_Avoidant_Disorders.aspx; date unknown. Accessed September 10, 2021.
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