Why Going to Therapy Is Proactive
The term proactive can have a few meanings but here’s the most common, “Acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes.” With that as a frame of reference, it gives a different perspective on therapy. For many folks, it’s seen as a step you take when a crisis strikes. However, therapy has immense preventative — and yes, proactive — power.
The general concept here is seeking help before the symptoms became extreme and/or overwhelming. This can be done with individual or couples therapy. By doing so, you shift the focus from intervention to prevention. You face up to the problem and accept the value of asking for help in the early stages.
Why Going to Therapy Is Proactive
It Fosters Awareness
If you have an ache in your knee, you notice and identify it. If you have a vague sense of anxious concern, it can be chalked up to something minor. You may ignore it. You may not even fully recognize its existence. It’s a common human experience to downplay one’s emotional symptoms.
Going to therapy helps you develop valuable skills. You become more aware of your feelings. When you’re in tune with your emotional state, you can better discern changes or shifts. This enhanced consciousness will stop you from tolerating less than you deserve.
It’s Not Just for You
Think of all the people who make up your social circle. From family to friends to neighbors to co-workers and beyond — all of them can be impacted your mental state. Mental health disorders or issues alter how you live in the world. In turn, they affect the people who interact with you on any level. The tricky part is that you may not even be aware of these dynamics.
In therapy, you work with an unbiased, skilled guide who helps you identify patterns and habits that could currently be invisible to you. That kind of work makes you more sensitive to how you might be inadvertently hurting or manipulating those around you. Being proactive benefits more than yourself.
We Thrive When Working with Others
Let’s return to the achy knee mentioned above. If you’re overdoing it, you can help things by resting. However, if there’s a structural issue, you will need professional guidance. The same goes for your mental health. Certain conditions cannot be effectively addressed through self-care only. By consulting a therapist, you position yourself to be at your best.
No one knows your mind and your body as you do. But that doesn’t mean you don’t sometimes need someone outside of yourself to offer an informed opinion. Humans are designed as social creatures that can reach new levels when working in collaboration. Therapy is an ideal example of this reality in action.
You Deserve to Thrive
Unlike our physical health, we too often believe that we shouldn’t “make a big deal” when feeling down or anxious, or out of control. But just as you’d seek guidance about that achy knee, you deserve input on what’s going on in your emotional life. This is a major part of feeling happy, fulfilled, and peaceful. You don’t get points for waiting until things reach critical mass before reaching out. Rather, it’s about being proactive in the name of balance.
Getting Proactive Now!
If “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes” sounds ideal right about now, I invite you to contact me. Let’s schedule a free and confidential consultation to talk about what’s going on in your life. Again, you don’t have to wait until things get worse before making that call. The beauty of therapy is that it’s molded to address your specific, unique needs. Whether that is for depression, anxiety, or work-stress therapy, you always have options.