Life can feel like a lot sometimes. But unless we help ourselves, no one else will. Unless we’re talking about a therapist.  

Sadly there's still a lot of stigma around being in therapy, but the more we talk about our mental health concerns, the easier it will become to view therapy as an ongoing and regular part of our self-care routine. Even if you're not experiencing mental health issues right now, it can be helpful to have a regular outlet for literally anything.

Seeing a therapist is an investment in your mental health. When you're mentally in a better place, your energy glows, and your quality of life improves.

How to pick a good therapist

There are different types of therapy, but at the end of the day, the most important thing to a comfortable therapy experience is to find someone with who you connect. 

First, make sure that they're a licensed therapist- this is a must. Every therapist specializes in a type of therapy, but some common methods are behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.

A top-notch therapist, mental health professional, or social worker will be one that you feel comfortable opening up and being vulnerable with and offers a non-biased lens.

What are the benefits of therapy?

1. Learn to manage your stress levels and improve your physical health

Are you a type-A personality that tends to be hyper-critical and want everything to be perfect? Stress is unavoidable in the chaotic world we live in. How we manage stress can directly impact how we feel, mentally and physically. Experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety can even lead to a deregulated nervous system and elevated blood pressure, illness, and other health issues. So often, we stress over things outside of our control. Therapy can help you be more in tune with your emotions and teach you specific strategies, like radical acceptance, to help regulate your body's stress response. So next time you feel a stressful situation come on, you'll know exactly how to handle it.

2. Develop a better sense of self-awareness by understanding your past

Remember when your dad forgot to pick you up from kindergarten when you were 4? You might have pushed that to the back of your mind, but a therapist will most likely dig into your past and uncover some childhood issues that you may be aware of or even subconsciously hid from yourself. 

This is a crucial factor in understanding who you are today and why particular behaviors from both you and people around you trigger an emotional response in you. It's all part of your therapy journey, and we assure you that you'll walk away feeling proud to have uncovered a can of worms. Long term, this can significantly improve your quality of life.

 3. Walk away with a stronger sense of purpose

There's nothing like knowing your worth and having a clear purpose for your future. Attending regular therapy allows you to get to know yourself better, understand why you are the way you are, and get specific about what you want out of life. It's also about valuing yourself to invest those 60 minutes a week to focus on 'you'. 

Reflecting inwards and engaging in dialogue about your childhood with a great therapist will give you a greater sense of purpose and even compassion for yourself. You'll be walking out with a spring in your step and many 'aha' moments.

4. Learn skills to cope with daily life situations

Unless we're going through a major traumatic event, everyday situations typically accumulate and make us feel overwhelmed. We might even think that these reasons are 'silly' or 'not a big deal' and keep them to ourselves instead of expressing our true feelings. That's normal. 

Therapy provides a judgment-free zone to open up about whatever is on your mind. So if you need to vent about your annoying manager, your therapist is there to listen and objectively analyze the situation and offer coping strategies that you can implement to manage the situation better next time.

5. It can change your relationships with people - in a positive way

Do you ever get frustrated at your partner's 'annoying' habits? And lash out? Or do you bottle it up? And then get a stomach ache from not expressing how you feel? Therapy can help find a balance for emotions by guiding you to understand yourself, identify your triggers, and allow you to understand the people in your life better. This applies to all relationships - romantic, family, professional or platonic. 

Becoming more aware of how we communicate and being empathetic toward the other person will positively impact our relationships.

There's a multitude of reasons why regular therapy is so beneficial. Consider a mental health professional as an investment in your self-care routine to help you become more self-aware, get clear on your purpose and teach you methods to manage your stress more healthily.

What are you waiting for? Book yourself a therapy session right away.

As always, love the Easy Clothes team xx

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