Mental Health and Starting Your Journey with a Therapist 

As we grow older and step into the world as an adult, we start to realize a lot of new things about ourselves. We might find ourselves doing the things which we thought we would never do, or we may find it difficult to do things that we want to do. At certain times we may feel things that are very strange, some emotions that are difficult to deal with or you may be in such a situation that doesn’t seem to ever end. In cases like these, what we truly need is someone who can help us understand ourselves, someone who can help us manage our emotions and feelings, and someone who can give us mental clarity and direction in our lives. 

In this article, I will introduce you to one such professional that you may already know a great deal about. This professional is called a therapist. He/she can help you in various ways to improve your mental health and help you lead a much more fulfilling life. 

Who is a therapist? 

Therapists or psychotherapists are licensed mental health professionals who provide different types of therapy to help people improve their mental health and manage mental illnesses. You can find a therapist in your own locality or meet one online. 

Why may you need a therapist? 

If you think you need some help manage your emotions and feelings but don’t know whether it is right for you to consult with a therapist, then keep on reading to find out some reasons why you take help of a therapist. 
 

1. Something life changing happening in your life: 

You should consult with a therapist and going mental clarity when you are going through a major life changing event. Any major life changing event leads to a surge in emotions. These new feelings or emotions can be overwhelming and difficult to manage for some people. 

Some examples of what these events could be are: Death of a closed one, moving to different place, starting a college, getting married and having a baby etc. 

The nature of this event can be good or bad, but you need to take therapy sessions to better manage this new imbalance of emotions that can be overwhelming with time. Also, the therapist can provide meaningful insights on what kind of problems you might face in the future, thus helping you maintain and improve your mental health. 

2. You are dealing with some behavioral issues or habits that are negatively influencing your life: 

If you think you are not able to break some habits and it is negatively impacting your life, then you should talk to therapist. Because when struggling to get rid of some behavioural patterns it is always better to take professional help.

3. You are recognizing some signs and symptoms of a mental health condition: 

If you think you may be having some type of mental health issue, then it is time you go see a therapist. Also, if some signs and symptoms are appearing that also suggests you consult a therapist, because the sooner you start treating the problem the better will be the results. 

4. Your mental health is good, but you want to meet the therapist for maintenance and a checkup: 

And for some people, the reason to meet a therapist is for regular checkup and maintenance of a good mental health. It is not necessary that you meet a therapist only when you are suffering from some mental health condition. You should consult with a therapist for prevention purposes as well. 

How can a therapist help you? 

A therapist can help you understand your emotional patterns and manage your actions and reactions. He/she can help understand your behavioral patterns and find a balance in it. A therapist can also take a role of a person who understands your emotions and feelings without judging you and act as a person to whom you can share your feelings that might be hurting you and you can’t share with anyone. 

How many types of therapies are there? 

Therapy can be given in many ways which are helpful for different types of people and their needs. Some of which are:  

Behavioral Therapy 

If you are not able to get rid of some bad behaviours or habits, then you can take this therapy. Behavioural therapy helps you stop your unhealthy and self-harming habits. It helps you recognize your emotional patterns what situation might be triggering for you so that you understand your behaviours from a cognitive point of view. 

DBT 

DBT, also known as Dialect Behavior Therapy, is a talk therapy that helps people manage their emotions. This therapy is helpful for people who are having a hard time managing their emotions and dealing with frequent outbursts of difficult emotions such as anger, sadness, and anxiety.  

Psychodynamic Therapy 

As you may have heard some people psychologists say, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will rule your life, and you will call it fate”. Many adults don’t realise how much their past is influencing what they are experiencing now. From what decisions we make to what type of actions we take almost all our life experiences are impacted. That is why this type of therapy is needed. It is a type of talk therapy that helps people understand their past traumas and how it is impacting it them now. By understanding and accepting things from the past they can go forward in life and have a new beginning. 

Exposure Therapy 

Exposure therapy is given to people who are suffering from extreme fear and anxiety of something. In this therapy, patients are exposed to their fear and anxiety inducing situations. By doing this therapy, patients can reduce their fear significantly and lead a much better life. 

EMDR 

It refers to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of psychotherapy in which a patient who is suffering from memories from a traumatic or difficult past can relieve these memories and not get hurt from those memories again and again. In this technique, the patient moves their eyes in specific manner which recollecting those unpleasant memories. 

Conclusion: 

So, we can say psychotherapy is very useful in leading a good, happy and healthy life. As much as our physical health is important, our emotional health needs to be managed as well. So, you must start with this part of healthcare and learn about your emotional and mental state. 

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