“Do I need therapy?” is a question many people ask themselves at different stages of life. It could be that you are feeling overwhelmed, struggling to cope with life’s challenges, feeling stressed, on the verge of burnout, or like you’re stuck in the same old patterns.
At RESET, we acknowledge that seeking help is a courageous step towards self-care that should be celebrated. Therapy can be a safe space to explore, heal and grow. From managing mood to navigating relationships, therapy offers invaluable tools for personal growth. When done right and in a sustainable way, it can unlock a world of new opportunities, hope and potential. In this blog, you will learn more about what therapy is, if it’s for you, the benefits, and the different types of therapy.
what is therapy?
Therapy is a broad, umbrella term encompassing different practices. However, most forms of therapy involve a series of ongoing appointments with a qualified professional, enabling you to explore thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to address emotional, psychological, and interpersonal concerns.
The aim of therapy is to create a safe space where you can talk through your concerns or struggles. It can be short or long-term support depending on the needs of the client, with the primary aim for the client to feel heard, seen, and empowered to make positive changes.
what are the reasons for going to therapy?
A common reason why someone may approach therapy is due to mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance misuse or another disorder. However, you do not need to have a specific mental health concern to benefit from therapy.
There are many other situations where therapy may be beneficial:
- Going through a big life change (e.g. career switch, marriage)
- Going through a difficult period in life (e.g. grief, illness)
- Chronic stress or burnout
- Health and lifestyle challenges such as poor sleep or relationship with food
- Not feeling like yourself due to changes in mood or behaviours
- Feeling like you’re not reaching your potential
- Strained or challenging relationships
- Inability to rest, have fun and ‘switch off’
- Feeling like something is missing in your life
what are the benefits of therapy?
As each individual will experience therapy differently, it will yield varying results. However, many people who engage with therapy experience positive benefits such as:
- reduced symptoms
- improved mood
- enhanced coping skills
- increased life satisfaction
- higher emotional intelligence
- higher resilience
From my personal perspective of delivering the RESET programme to many clients and having received therapy myself, I would argue that the most significant benefit of therapy is increased self-awareness.
Through therapy, I learned how to identify negative behaviours and thought patterns which I was unaware of before. Through recognising unhelpful patterns in my life, I was then able to implement strategies that actually worked. By working with the mind-body-environment connection, therapy also improved other areas of my life, creating a virtuous cycle. My physical health improved, my social life reignited, and I felt like myself again.
Research has shown that the efficacy of therapy improves when somatic interventions are included, and can bring positive outcomes in both adults and children. Somatic interventions can include mindfulness, exercise, breathwork and cold exposure, which are all included in the RESET model. If we’re able to nurture our bodies and environment at the same time that we work on our thoughts and outlook, therapy can enable us to build meaningful, fulfulling lives.
Types of therapy
There are different forms of therapy and each comes with its benefits and limitations. It is always worth familiarising yourself with some of the therapy types out there, and asking questions whenever you’re in doubt!
Here is a snapshot of some of the most common types of therapy:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT aims to explore and challenge negative thoughts that contribute to unhelpful coping styles.
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT): DBT aims to help individuals manage intense emotions and difficult relationship dynamics.
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): IPT aims to help people address the negative cycle of depression and problems in relationships.
- Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR aims to lessen the impact and intensity of distressing and traumatic experiences.
- Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT): CFT aims to address underlying self-esteem issues such as shame and self-criticism.
In this article, you learned about the many different reasons why people seek out therapy, ranging from managing mental health concerns to navigating life transitions. Therapy isn’t just for specific mental health conditions; it can benefit anyone seeking support and growth. If this sounds like something you could benefit from, the next step is to consider which type of therapy aligns best with your needs and goals. We offer free 30-minute consultations if you are interested in speaking to one of our team and exploring whether RESET is the right fit for you.
