This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Is Therapy Right for Me?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health “an estimated 26 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a treatable mental health issue in a given year.” Furthermore, the World Health Organization concluded that mental disorders account for the primary cause of disability in the United States and Canada.

So when it comes to your mental health and well-being, careful consideration must be given to symptoms, causes, and treatments for coping with a variety of issues that you may be experiencing.

Choosing a therapist is never an easy task. Finding the right one is similar to establishing any other relationship. You need to find a person you can trust and that you feel has the competence to discuss your issues in a non-judgmental and helpful fashion. It is important to ask questions. The more you understand the therapy experience and how it works, the more comfortable you’ll be. Ask questions about the therapy process, and ask the therapist to repeat anything you don’t understand. Additionally, ask the therapist about his or her credentials. Be sure the therapist is a licensed professional, and that he/she has experience with the issues that you are having.

Find out what's happening in Sewickleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Therapy provides a safe environment where people can explore their problems, issues and dilemmas. Moreover, it opens a space and time to be heard and understood. It is no secret that people have a genuine need to be recognized and to belong. Therapy, when it is done right, allows an opportunity for real growth and change in individuals, couples and families.

Remember: Good therapy is more than thinking happy thoughts or positive affirmations. It is a place to truly dig deeper into the issues that you have been unable to resolve on your own, and it is a vehicle that has the potential to change your life for the better. You will be asked to challenge your current way of thinking, feeling and being.

Find out what's happening in Sewickleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The therapeutic process sheds light on how you are, who you are, and gives you a greater understanding about living as fully, authentically, and compassionately as possible. Therapy enables you to explore your life and realize the many choices that are available to you. Individuals who seek therapy often do so because they desire to encounter life in a richer, more meaningful way. Others may be coping with a life problem or issue that has them feeling stymied.

Whatever the reasons people choose therapy, it means taking a more truthful look at oneself. Through closer exploration of one’s anxieties and fears, it is possible to transform attitudes toward living and make some quite astonishing and lifelong changes.

If you feel therapy might be right for you, appointments are available at my office on weekdays, evenings and weekends for individual psychotherapy for adults, children and teenagers, marital and couples counseling, and family therapy. Call today 412.367.0575 or email us at pghpsychotherapy@gmail.com

In good health,
Don

Originally posted on pghpsychotherapy.com

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Sewickley