Do I need therapy? Why therapy can be for everyone: Challenging the stigma.

If you are reading this post, you might be considering needing or wanting some support with your mental health. Taking the first step is often one of the hardest. You might have questions like ‘am I bad enough to need therapy?’, ‘can therapy really help me?’, ‘how can just talking reduce these problems?’. Don’t worry, these are normal and healthy questions to ask yourself.

Therapy has for a long time been misunderstood and stigmatised and is often portrayed in the society as something only people with serious mental health problems do. However, in recent years, there have been some significant steps made to improve this stigma with more and more people are recognising how useful and transformative therapy can be.

Why does this stigma exist:

Negative stereotypes in society and the media: Many of us have grown up watching or listening to information that paints people with mental health problems as ‘crazy’, ‘weak’ or even ‘dangerous’. This could not be further from the truth as 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England, showing how common problems like depression and anxiety are.

Social factors: Being concerned about being ‘labelled’ as mentally unwell creating misconceptions around discrimination and fear of judgement from others.

Lack of understanding and fear: Many people believe that mental health conditions are not treatable, lifelong or having to be medicated. This is a misconception as many people find that can get well again and have a better quality of life. In fact, talking therapy is now suggested above medication in the first instance.

Therapy is not just for people in a crisis - Debunking the myths:

Myth 1: Therapy is only for people who are seriously unwell.

Reality: Therapy is not just for people who are desperate and used as a last resort. It can be a proactive choice to manage anything from stress, relationship challenges, processing difficult life events and even personal growth.

Myth 2: Therapy will take a long time and therefore cost a lot of money.

Reality: Therapy can be flexible and accessible and many people can make improvements within a short period of time. Many therapists are often guided by clinical guidelines in terms of amounts of sessions for certain problems, for example treatment for depression can range from around 6-20 sessions in one episode.

Myth 3: Talking about problems doesn’t work.

Reality: Doing the opposite is proven to have adverse effects. The more people store and ‘bottle up’ emotions, the more they can fester and over time potentially get worse. Therapy helps people to become more self aware of what creates and maintains their difficulties and ways of managing them.

Myth 4: Therapy is a last resort.

Reality: You don’t have to wait until you are really suffering to get support. Think of it as a proactive decision to keep yourself emotionally well. Just as a physiotherapist would help you to stay physically well and prevent future injury, a psychotherapist will help you do the same but for your emotional wellbeing.

What next?

If you are considering contacting me to access support, I’d be more than happy to meet with you to discuss how I can help. I able to meet you face to face if you happen to live in the area of East Kent but there is a much more accessible option if you would prefer – online therapy.

Why online (video call) therapy works:

Before COVID lockdowns, I had always offered therapy face to face and I had many questions and concerns about offering it online. Thoughts that went through my mind were ‘this can’t work’, ‘how am I supposed to connect with someone through a screen?’. However, I was proven completely wrong. Not only has the evidence shown that for many people, online therapy is just as effective as face to face, it also brings unique advantages that makes therapy more accessible, flexible and more comfortable:

• Sessions can be attended from your own home – no travel, less stress, a cup of tea from your own kitchen. Many people have shared with me that they feel more at ease speaking from their own environment. The sense of comfort can help people open up more, leading to a deeper and more meaningful conversation.

• Flexibility – Sessions that fit around your life.

• Makes therapy more accessible to people who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to travel into an office. People also have access to a wide range of therapists who meet their needs, not just those from a similar postcode.

• Resources, tools, information and exercises can easily be shared through an online platform making it easier to engage with the content of the therapy.

  
  

What happens in a first session?

The purpose of the first session is mainly to understand what you are struggling with and what you think you would like to get from therapy.

The first session can often be difficult for people as they will be sharing personal, distressing and vulnerable parts of themselves. However, I will attempt to make this as comfortable as possible by providing you with the time, acceptance and safety as you do this. It is really important that you feel you are able to trust and develop a positive connection with me.

By the end of the session, I should be able to give you and idea about how the treatment might look and how I will be able to help you. It is also an opportunity for you to decide if this particular type of therapy is right for you. 

Lets break this stigma together and begin the journey of helping you to live a more fulfilled life and less restricted by your emotions.