What are the benefits of individual therapy?

 

Not all that long ago, mental health counseling carried a significant stigma. Now, with the increased research around the mental health needs of individuals and communities and the known effectiveness of counseling, seeking help is encouraged. Mental health care provides several benefits. When you invest in your mental health by engaging in therapy some of the positive changes you might experience include:

 

• Feeling emotionally supported - It can be difficult to find family members or friends who are able to fully meet your need for emotional support, especially when they are experiencing difficulties of their own. Sometimes people mean well, but say things that hurt more than they help. Therapy provides a safe and supportive space in which to process difficult emotions and events.

• Building skills - Therapy is an opportunity to learn and practice many different skills that can help you in many areas of day to day living. Communication skills, coping skills, and problem solving skills are excellent tools, but unless someone modeled these skills for you or taught them to you, how are you going to use them? That's one function of a therapist, teaching you skills to improve your wellbeing and help you navigate the world more successfully.

• Symptom reduction - When you seek therapy for a specific mental health concern, there are usually many symptoms which accompany a diagnosis. Sometimes these symptoms can be debilitating, making it difficult to function normally or feel well on any given day. Therapists are trained to use evidence based approaches to help you address mental health concerns with a goal of reducing symptoms and treating underlying causes.

• Resilience and stress management - Life can be hard! You have undoubtedly faced difficult situations at least a few times in your life. There's a good chance you are facing some adversity right now. Therapy can give you the tools and support to manage stressful feelings and build resilience for future difficulties and concerns. 

• Self-awareness and behavior changes - It can be difficult to make sense of what is happening with our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and what impact this has on others. Has someone in your life asked you to change something about how you behave or how you relate to them? How do you know if it's really a problem and, if it is, how do you change it? Do you find yourself caught up in automatic negative thoughts about yourself, your life, or others? You're not alone. These are some of the most common things people bring up during therapy. Working through these concerns in therapy provides the support and guidance to effect real change.

• Encouragement - Sometimes we all need a cheerleader in our lives. As a therapist, I view all clients with unconditional positive regard and work hard to speak words of hope and encouragement. This doesn't mean a therapist will tell you what you want to hear, or give you an answer you are seeking. It does mean that you will be treated with kindness and dignity and receive the support and encouragement needed to see the positive outcomes you are working towards.

 

It's important to remember that the outcomes of therapy vary from person to person. The effectiveness of therapy is largely determined by the strength or quality of the therapeutic relationship (rapport), as well as the client's willingness to engage in the therapeutic process. The reason for seeking therapy, access to resources, social support, external stressors, and frequency of counseling appointments are additional factors which may affect therapeutic outcomes. It is always okay to discuss your progress with your therapist. We appreciate the feedback, value your insights, and respect your autonomy.