Who goes to therapy?

“You need therapy,” sounds like an insulting line from a modern rom com or sit com you’d watch on a Friday night, but you may be surprised by who actually goes to therapy. In days of old therapy was reserved for people who had major problems getting along in life and possibly bordered on madness. Regular people could help themselves. Only that isn’t always true. Humans thrive when connected to other humans. On some level, we need each other.

This is where therapy comes in. Therapy is specialized help in getting something more of what a person is wanting. Perhaps there’s a relationship or habit or circumstance that isn’t resolving with the usual things a person does to help. Maybe there is something getting in the way of the life someone has always dreamed about. Or there could be a personal goal or skill a person would like to improve. Many people find therapy a wealth of helpful experiences that take them from feeling stuck to moving toward meaning and importance.

Yes, therapy is helpful for people who meet criteria for mental health diagnosis, but they aren’t the only ones who benefit from getting therapy. Research has shown that humans benefit when they have even just one person with whom they can be completely honest and authentic. The therapy room is a place where a person can share what’s on their mind without judgment and with someone who is invested in listening, understanding and helping.

Going to therapy is no longer reserved for persons who are deemed medically sick. Therapy is for all humans who would like specialized help creating something new. People who benefit from therapy often want something to be different and are looking for someone who can offer them more than what they can get on their own in their environment or from their existing support network.

Now the question is…how could therapy benefit YOU?