The great comedian Jonathan Winters once said, “if your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.” In other words, sometimes it is important to take the initiative no matter how uncomfortable that may seem.
When a person first begins therapy, they may feel apprehensive about opening up to their therapist. This is understandable. New experiences can be scary. Remember what it was like when you were first learning to ride a bike or learning to swim? It was probably terrifying, but once you pushed your way through that fear, you learned a new skill that you can use for the rest of your life. The same can be said for dipping your toe into the waters of therapy.
Trying Anything New Can Be Hard but Rewarding
The truth is that going to therapy for the first time can be scary. This is understandable. It might help to know that in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “one in five American adults experienced a mental health issue,” and “one in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.” You are not alone in this mental health journey.
Getting help for your mental health is important. It has also been shown to work. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has also reported that treating mental illness with tools such as therapy not only “improve[s] your quality of life” but also “increase[s] your lifespan.” Now that does not seem like a bad trade-off for a little discomfort in the beginning.
You Are in Control of Your Therapeutic Journey
When thinking about therapy, it is important to remember that you are on your own journey. There are countless types of therapy and therapists out there who want to help, but that does not mean that your first try at therapy is always going to be successful. If it doesn’t feel right to you, move on to something or someone else.
Ultimately, you are in charge of your journey. Just remember, you cannot take that journey unless you start. People are available who want to help. As the old proverb says, “the turtle never makes any progress until it sticks its neck out.”
The idea of starting therapy can be daunting. This is especially true if it is your first time navigating what that might look like. You may wonder if therapy will work or if it will change you in some way. The statistics say that it does work, and the only changes you may see will be for the better. Therapy can help you down the road to a healthier and more fulfilling life. The Guest House is here to help you down that road. For more information, please call (855) 483-7800.