Therapy Stigma

Maybe you know someone who makes you think “I wish they would get into therapy.” Many of us need therapy ourselves. Life can be quite difficult and sometimes we need skills to handle it, heal from trauma, develop healthy relationships, break free from substances and habits that control us and many, many other reasons. There are often perceptions of therapy that may make it difficult to go to therapy. These perceptions may include ideas like: I’m not crazy, I can handle it on my own, I don’t want someone to judge me, I need to give it up to God, why would I tell a shrink about my life. This list barely scratches the surface of the number of reasons why people choose to not go to therapy rather than get the help that they need. I am in no way judging these reasons. They are concerns and considerations that should be respected and challenged. For some, their faith will help them solve their problems, and to them I say “I’m glad your faith has guided you to wellness.” The rest of us may not come from a place of faith, so this is not an option. Let’s face it, society and pop culture both denigrates and celebrates therapy. We are exposed to these ideas early and many of us internalize these messages. If you think about therapy in these terms, I encourage you to challenge those notions. Research valid, ideally peer reviewed articles that discuss therapy outcomes. Talk to a therapist. They will tell you what therapy is like and what it seeks to do. I encourage you to put aside these messages and view going to therapy as an act of courage, kindness to yourself and a path to leading the life that you want to live.