what’s the point of therapy?
Someone asked me recently ‘what’s the point of therapy-just sitting around talking about your feelings’.
I came up with a short list here about what I think good therapy actually is.
Connecting the dots: Sometimes we notice our own behaviours or feelings that aren’t a good fit for the life we want but we don’t know why we do them, or what to do about them. A skilled therapist can ask questions that will lead you and them to seeing a source or reason for this. That clarity gives us possibilities for new choices. It can also release shame.
Releasing the pressure cooker- sometimes there is such a build of of pressure in the system that we may grip for control, have outbursts or anxiety attacks. Working with a safe person over time learning how to express emotions with support in digestible amounts relieves the over taxed system and increases capacity for uncomfortable situations in life.
Skill building- most of us didn’t grow up with healthy examples of how to communicate through difficulty and this can make for challenges in relationships with others and also ourselves. Adding skills to our communication toolbox, and an opportunity to practice them is going to help us in all areas of life.
An added sense of self compassion… more on this soon.
Bringing new information to the nervous system.
Therapy isn’t to make you feel better it’s to help you better feel. (Thank you to Mariah Moser for that gem) We increase the capacity we have to be present with the full range of our human experience.
These are just a few…