Therapy 101
Originally published on my blog: selfscience.org and Medium.
I am a counselor, and through and through, this is my career. I have seen firsthand the benefits of receiving therapy, not just because of my job but also because I have been the one on the couch. I believe everyone would benefit from receiving mental health treatment at least once in their lives.
When I say “counselor,” this covers the different licenses in the mental health field that can provide therapy or counseling, such as a Licensed Professional Counselor (me), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and a Licensed Psychologist. Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can also provide therapy but often also prescribe medication. For this purpose, I will use the terms counselor and therapist interchangeably.
Counseling can help in the following ways:
Counselors help with insight, help us understand the “why” of our actions and behaviors, and help us learn how to move forward.
Therapy can help us process different events in our lives and make sense of them.
Counseling can provide us with an objective viewpoint on situations that may be affecting us.
We can learn problem-solving skills.
Licensed mental health practitioners can diagnose and treat mental health conditions.
They can provide different treatments that are tailored toward your diagnosis.
A therapist can give you tools to regulate your emotions appropriately.
Those of us with a history of trauma can benefit from learning how to cope with our past, understand it, and process triggers that may show up.
Therapy Modalities
There are many different therapy techniques: DBT, CBT, play therapy, EMDR, sand tray therapy, group therapy, mindfulness, family therapy, and couples counseling. Depending on your needs, you can find a counselor who can help you. In the past, receiving mental health treatment was stigmatized. Nowadays, as more and more research is done on mental health, the effects of trauma on an individual, and the importance of treating it, it seems to be less stigmatizing and encouraged.
How to Find a Therapist
You can go through your insurance to find a mental health provider; others may be private but may offer a sliding scale option. Your work may also provide EAP (Employee Assistance Program) services. With this program, you might receive 6–8 free sessions. Talk to your human resources team to find out more. Can’t leave your home? Or, always on the go, you can do therapy online.
Just like we need doctors for our physical health, mental health providers are there for our emotional health.
