Mental Health Awareness Month – I Started Going to Therapy

May is mental health awareness month and while I love a good candle post, I’ve always wanted this space to be more than just a place I talk about my favorite products. I’m here to be transparent with you guys and talk about all the seasons of life, not just the happy pretty ones. So in honor of mental health awareness month I’m sharing that I’ve started going to therapy for the first time in my adult life. And, I love it!

I’ve been going for just over three months and its been so good for me. I’ve learned more about myself and I’ve felt heard, validated and supported.

I think as a society we don’t really talk about mental health enough. There’s such a stigma around it and we’ve made asking for help a weakness rather than a healthy thing.

This is why we don’t go to therapy. And if we do, this is why we don’t talk about going to therapy. We need to change that stigma. Because…

Life is messy

We like to pretend we have it all together, but people have anxiety, depression, addiction, mental illness, grief, screwed-up relationships, insecurities, postpartum depression, affairs, trauma, financial stresses and other stressors that just add up. We all have something.

I wish I had started seeing a therapist sooner

I’ve always been a pretty emotional person and I’d say for the most part, I do a pretty good job of navigating all my feelings. I also consciously choose to surround myself with people that support me, embrace me and allow me to feel my feelings.

But I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I didn’t think I would necessarily get much from seeing a therapist and even more so I didn’t think my problems were “big” enough. Even though I’ve basically been like Oprah and been like “and you should see a therapist and you should see a therapist!” to all my friends and family in the past. I didn’t take my own advice, until now.

So here are some things I’ve realized going to therapy

I’m not above it

Yes, I feel like I’m very self-aware, but theres always little blind spots that we just don’t see about ourselves. I’m a big advocate for truly knowing and understanding yourself and therapy is a great tool for that.

My problems aren’t too small

My problems and stressors are just that, still problems and stressors. I want to live my best life with as little stress as possible and so if I can do anything to eliminate those I want to. Plus small problems can turn into big problems and a lot of small problems can add up quickly.

I thought I was going for just one particular thing and I’d talk about that and then be on my merry way

I initially started going for one thing, but ended up working through that problem fairly quickly and then finding a lot of other areas that needed even more attention than the original thing I went in for.

You can never have too many people on your team

A therapist is there to support you and help you be the best version of yourself. Sure you pay them, but a good therapist is truly on your team. They want you happy and healthy.

It’s ok to ask for help

My parents raised me to be an independent woman, and I take pride in that. But, I’m realizing…through therapy :)… that I started to set extremely high standards for myself. I can still be a strong independent woman and ask for help.

I feel better than I did before I went to therapy

While I personally don’t suffer from depression or anxiety, I still feel over-all in a much better headspace than before I started going to therapy. Mental health isn’t just about mental health diseases.

I can honestly say I’ll never not have a therapist.

Sure I might not always be going in for weekly sessions, but it’s nice just to know I have her there if something comes up. When we move one day, I’ll be finding a therapist as soon as we get settled, even if I feel like life is perfect. It’s so nice to have rapport with someone for when the stressful situations do come up, because they will and then you can go in and talk comfortably with someone because you’ve already laid the ground work with them.

Just try it

Seriously, I’m kind of kicking myself for not investing in myself in this way sooner. It’s one of the best forms of self-care I’ve ever done for myself.

If you ever thought about seeing a therapist and just haven’t pulled the trigger because of time, money, fear of what others might think or simply because you think your problems aren’t big enough (all excuses I made in the past), I encourage you to just try it for a couple months.

Anyways, I just to wanted share my experience with going to therapy and remind you that it’s ok to be human and it’s ok to invest in yourself. You’re worth it.

Cheers,