Before we can answer this question, please ask yourself–are you ready for the help? Do you want the help? Are you ready to put in some work on yourself? If you answered yes to these questions, then therapy will be able to help you overcome issues that are bothering you.
Therapy works best when you are ready to look into what is bothering you, and you are ready for change. It’s important to remember that it isn’t just up to your therapist. It’s not only your therapist helping you, but you helping you.
Therapy isn’t easy. There will be points that are difficult, painful, or awkward, but it is all part of the process. It is about moving forward.
Your therapist will help you by creating a safe place where you can go to talk while feeling comfortable and respected. The key is to build a relationship with your therapist. Reka refers to this as The Therapeutic Relationship: being with someone who validates, listens, and acknowledges you while being respectfully objective and encouraging.
Sometimes, it feels better to just talk it out with someone and share the load instead of carrying it all by yourself. Your therapist can let you know that there are others going through similar events, and hopefully you can learn from those others based on how they dealt with those similar issues.
Your therapist can offer different suggestions and tools on how to do things differently or how to look at things with a different frame of mind. These suggestions and encouragements can help you change your life for the better.
Take for example that you have a difficult relationship in your life. Maybe a suggestion as simple as talking from the “I” perspective with that person will help your relationship. “I wish we could be like we were when we were in our first year of marriage” or “I feel very anxious when I think of all the work I have to get done this week, and I would appreciate any help you could give me.” It might help with your relationship in different ways than you were anticipating.
Therapy is about trying different things and seeing what works best for you. Some suggestions will work better than others. Remember, it is your journey. Your therapist will be by your side to support, encourage, and listen.
It’s important to feel that you and your therapist are connected and understand each other. If you have any questions for Reka, please feel free to get in touch by phone at 402-881-8125, by email at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or via Twitter or Facebook.
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photo credit: Dan Sumption via photopin cc
