Today we are going to ask the question “Is it time for me to seek help, and see a therapist?”
The chances are if you are asking yourself that question then the answer is “Yes”.
Psychotherapy, talking therapy, counseling, it doesn’t matter what you call it, is there to help you when you are struggling with your mental health. Life throws us many challenges and curveballs and it takes a strong person to say “I can’t do this on my own!”
Therapy can help improve symptoms of many mental health conditions.
Medication can help reduce the symptoms but therapy can help deal with or even cure the problems.
It can give you the skills to look at your problems from a different perspective and be better able to cope with your problems.
If you leave your mental issues untreated, they don’t go away! In fact, putting them in a box can just lead to bigger problems like:
Inability to work or go to school
Difficulty in relationships or taking care of children
Increased risk of health issues
Hospitalization
Suicide
It can be really hard watching someone you care about going through difficulties and struggling with mental health issues, so imagine how it feels for them to see you going through the same thing.
Often it can be hard to suggest therapy to someone as they can feel there is a stigma attached or people have stereotypes. Therapists are human as well! Our job is to make you feel as comfortable and as at ease as possible so you trust us enough to tell us your issues.
As a therapist, I know this isn’t an easy task. You may have been carrying these problems and issues for a very long time and never felt comfortable enough to talk about them.
I’m here to help you. Not make judgments or criticise. I want to help you find a better you, whatever that means.
It takes time and trust. I realize this but I’m here and all I need you to do is turn up regularly and we can start the journey together.
When any type of mental health or emotional concern affects your daily life and how you function, then maybe it’s time to seek help.
Therapy can help you to understand what you are feeling and how to cope with it. As I’ve said before it’s a safe place. Your safe place!
It’s also a place where no subject is taboo! You can talk about your marriage or relationship break up, struggling with all the problems Covid has bought us, coping with grief, your sexuality, if you are in an abusive relationship and don’t know how to get away. Any of these and any other problems or issues you may have.
You may want to wait and see if the problem goes away by giving yourself “time” and that’s fine, but if it starts to take up most of your day thinking about it, or it's making you avoid certain situations or people, in fact, if it is governing your life and how you live it then you probably need to seek therapy for your sake and the people around you.
Your mental health can affect the way you do your job, school work, relationships, and many other aspects of your life. So wouldn’t it make you feel better to reach out and let me help you to take back control?
Let me give you a space where you can talk freely, without fear of being judged or feeling uneasy and possibly embarrassed.
It’s about you, and how you feel, what is making you anxious, worried, unhappy. Nobody else just you!
Sometimes people don’t have that, for instance, if you are a busy working Mum, you have so many responsibilities and commitments that you just don’t have time to think about your own feelings and problems.
I'm here to help, I have many years of experience dealing with a wide variety of mental health issues, so you can't shock me I promise!
Jimi D Katsis is a Bristol based consultant psychotherapist at jimikatsis.com specialising in recovery from trauma, depression, and anxiety