Do You Know the Benefits of Therapy?
What Are the Benefits of Therapy?
The benefits of therapy create a way to assist individuals with various types of mental health struggles. Through the process of communicating with a trained mental health professional, the therapist and client can come to a better understanding of the presenting issues. Through this understanding, freedom can be found through talking about goals, fears, issues and coping strategies.
Therapy is a tool that helps us learn coping skills and address unwanted thoughts and behavioral patterns. It provides you with a safe space to talk about any and everything with someone who really gets you.
Whether your mental health is great, mediocre, or you are struggling with it, therapy can be beneficial for you. Therapy will help you feel confident, gain resilience, and clarify goals by guiding you to a place of better understanding about yourself! You and your therapist are on a journey together, and both of you will work to find the skills that help you feel better.
Short Term vs Long Term Therapy
Long term therapy is intensive, with the client coming in for sessions on a regular basis for an extended amount of time. This allows for the client to take their time unpacking any issues they might be working through. It also allows for a more fully formed relationship between patient and therapist.
Short term therapy is also intensive, but is more goal oriented than long term therapy. The client and therapist will usually focus on specific issues and tackle them in a more directed way. This can be beneficial for those who are coming in to accomplish a specific goal. Short term therapy has a more limited time frame, which can push clients to face the issues that are causing them distress.
Both are incredibly beneficial and have been proven to help clients reach their goals. Whichever form of therapy you decide to choose is dependent on your goals and the relationship you have with your therapist. Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach which is the beauty of it. Your therapeutic journey will be tailored to your goals and your life!
Stages of Therapy
There are 4 main stages of starting therapy. All of these stages look different for each person and their personal goals.
The first stage of therapy is assessment and intake. This refers to the process of your therapist getting to know you and your needs. Your therapist will ask you questions that help them better understand how they can best serve and support you. This is an important part of therapy and creates a manageable plan that you and your therapist can work towards together. By getting to know your needs better, your therapist can better support you in reaching your goals and being the best you can be.
The second stage of therapy is building a relationship. A strong relationship with your therapist can bring you lasting change through mutual respect and understanding. Open communication between you and your therapist is important, and building a strong relationship lays the groundwork for this. Your therapist will create a safe space where you can have a genuine connection that fosters growth towards your personalized needs. Your therapist can better serve you through this relationship!
The third stage of therapy is a time of self exploration and understanding negative patterns in order to develop coping skills. With the help of your therapist, you will focus your shift inward to understand your thoughts and feelings better. This process of self discovery aids you in learning how to identify patterns and your reactions to life's challenges. Once this is identified, you and your therapist will come up with a plan to develop healthy coping mechanisms that will leave you feeling calmer upon experiencing challenges. These skills will help you take control of your life and reach your goals.
The last stage of therapy is maintaining progress. Not only will you learn during therapy, but you will take these skills with you into the future . In order to ensure this, you and your therapist will work towards setting goals that you can implement in your everyday life. Your therapist will gently push you to challenge your own negative thoughts and patterns and replace them with these new skills.
It is important to note that this process is not linear and looks different for everyone who attends therapy. You and your therapist will work to create a plan that works for you and your needs. Through these stages of therapy, you will build the skills to be the best you can be. If you are ready to start the therapy journey, please reach out to our office to help get you scheduled!
