Relying on Therapy to Deal with Life’s Issues
We would probably be amazed if we knew how many people need therapy but are not even considering getting professional help. There are many reasons including reluctance to meet face-to-face with a therapist, emotional barriers that prevent them from seeking help or issues like no transportation or an odd work schedule that makes it impossible to get to appointments during regular business hours. Whatever the reason, the fact is that therapy can benefit a wide range of people experiencing the many issues that are faced in life.
It’s too bad that so many people are continuing to suffer psychic pain because they are avoiding getting professional help. One of the reasons people refuse to contact a therapist is a belief that the troubling issue is not severe enough to require professional help. For example, you may have a weight problem. Everyone keeps telling you to “just lose weight”, but they don’t understand it’s not that simple.
Emotionally Out of Harmony
What eventually drives people to get help is unbearable conflict within themselves or in relationships that leads to anxiety, depression or some form of mental or emotional anguish or even physical illness.1 The source of the conflict may be a complete mystery or it may be quite clear, but what is not known is what unconscious activities are happening that are the driving force behind the escalating conflict.
At some point, people get desperate for help when the internal and external conflict becomes a barrier to feeling happiness, contentment or satisfaction. When problem resolution without professional help becomes impossible, therapy offers a way to reconcile the conscious with the unconscious aspects of life. The therapist and you will work together to explore conflicts and mitigate the impact of early failure or trauma on life.2 A relationship is developed in which a two-way communication takes place whether it’s face-to-face, by telephone or online.
Therapy can help with a variety of complex issues in recognition that life is complex. The most productive therapy does not impose an “ideal” on anyone. People are accepted on their own terms and the therapist uses specialized training and knowledge to guide and motivate a patient to make the mental and behavioral changes needed for a positive future.3
Therapy is All Encompassing
Therapy can help individuals and adults, or spouses and families. It is beneficial to all age groups. Therapy can address any life issue whether it developed recently or is the result of experiences happening long ago.
Following are the types of challenges people face every day that can benefit from therapy.
- Stress – identify stress triggers and learn how to control them
- Anxiety – address source of disorders like general anxiety, phobias, and obsessive compulsive disorder and symptoms like panic attacks will end
- Addiction – therapist counsels clients who are addicted to prescriptions, illegal drugs, food or anything else that has become life consuming
- Depression – breaks the cycle of negative thinking that spirals downward and can lead to an inability to function
- Eating disorders – adolescents experiencing anorexia, binge eating or bulimia can overcome these disorders through therapy strategies
- Anger management – uncontrollable anger can destroy relationships at work and home; therapy can address issues like self-esteem and self-confidence and relationships
- Weight loss – therapist counsels clients to identify the psychological factors impacting efforts to lose and maintain a healthy weight
- Life Transitioning – major life changes can lead to a variety of issues including anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, depression; major changes include retirement, new marriage, new baby, divorce
- Grief/Bereavement – grief can be a debilitating emotion when it does not abate and consumes life; therapy can help people overcome the grief and accept the feelings in a way that is not life consuming
- Marital Issues – there are many different issues that make marriage difficult including infidelity, finances, sexual dysfunction, children, work and others
- Abuse – abuse can be psychological or physical; therapy help
- Emotional Issues – includes a range of issues from dissatisfaction with life in general to emotional trauma resulting from a traumatic experience
- Relationship Problems – therapists helps individuals or couples work through conflicts, problems, poor decision making, negative communication patterns, attachment issues and other problems related to socialization and relationships
- Work Related Issues – counseling helps clients deal with work related stress, assertiveness, transitioning back into the workplace after a long absence, developing communication skills and other issues
- Suicide Prevention – counseling for those who are experiencing mental anguish and hopelessness and have considered suicide
This list doesn’t cover all of the issues people face just trying to live day-to-day. Many should have already consulted a psychotherapist, but for one reason or another has failed to get help. If that describes you then it’s time to analyze the reasons you have not sought help. They include a fear of medical professionals, a reluctance to admit professional help is needed, fear of what other people might think if they found out you were in therapy or lack of time.
Accessible, Convenient and Confidential Therapy
Fortunately, confidential and convenient accessibility to therapy has been made possible through phone therapy and cybercounseling. Phone therapy has gone mobile also in that cell phones give 24 hour access in any location to phone therapists.
Cybercounseling includes therapy using any internet tool including chat sessions, emails and web cams. Cybercounseling has proven to be highly successful by making phone therapists and therapists using internet communication readily available. Anonymous counseling and the ability to make online appointments or get counseling when it’s needed has proven to be impactful. People who would not get professional help otherwise have established satisfying and strong therapeutic relationships through cybercounseling.4
Psychotherapy is effective no matter what delivery method is used. People cannot always manage the complexity of life on their own. Therapy can help you restore the internal-external balance in your life so you can move forward in the direction you desire.
References:
1Anthony Bateman, D. B. (2000). Introduction to Psychotherapy. London: Routledge.
2Ibid
3 Thomas L. Sexton, Gerald R. Weeks and Michale S. Robbins. (2003). Family therapy: the science and practice of working with families and couples. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
4Paula Cayley, Rebecca H. Hallet, Dan L. Mitchell, Lawrence J. Murphy, paula Parnass and Samantha Seagram. (Summer 2011). Client satisfaction and outcome comparisons of cyber and face-to-face counseling methods. Journal of CyberTherapy and Rehabilitation , 303.
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