How A Talking Therapy Can Help
Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger than to relatives or friends.
During talking therapy, a trained counsellor or therapist listens to you and helps you find your own answers to problems, without judging you.
The therapist will give you time to talk, cry, shout or just think. It’s an opportunity to look at your problems in a different way with someone who’ll respect you and your opinions.
Usually, you’ll talk one-to-one with the therapist. Sometimes talking treatments are held in groups or couples, such as relationship counselling.
They’ll usually be done face-to-face, but you might be able to have talking therapy over the phone, via email or on Skype.
Although there are lots of different types of talking therapy, they all have a similar aim: to help you feel better.
Some people say that talking therapies do not make their problems go away, but they find it easier to cope with them and feel happier.
Beyond Worry: How Psychologists Help With Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders can severely impair a persons ability to function at work, school, and in social situations and can interfere with a persons relationships.
Beyond worry: How psychologists help with anxiety disorders.
Everyone worries or feels nervous from time to time. Anxiety is a normal human reaction to stressful situations. But for people with anxiety disorders, those fears and worries arent temporary. Their anxiety persists, and can even get worse over time.
Anxiety disorders can severely impair a persons ability to function at work, school, and in social situations. Anxiety can also interfere with a persons relationships with family members and friends. Fortunately, though, there are effective treatments for anxiety.
In some cases, medications have a role in treating anxiety disorders. Yet research shows behavioral treatment, alone or in combination with medication, is a highly effective treatment for most people with an anxiety disorder.
Different Types Of Talking Therapy
There are many different types of talking therapy, although your choice may be limited depending on where and how you access it.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends certain therapies for certain problems, but other therapies might work for you just as well.
Here are some of the main kinds of talking therapy.
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Remember: Youre Not The Only One
No matter what youre coming in with, remember: Youre not the only one.
When we keep things to ourselves, its easy to think that were alone in our experience, but thats simply not true. Chances are, your therapist has heard similar stories from other clients. The sooner you open up about what youre going through, the sooner your therapist can help.
Know there isnt anything you could say that would shock or horrify us, says Dawn Friedman, a licensed clinical counselor in Worthington, Ohio. Really, weve heard it all.
How To Choose A Therapist
Similar to choosing a therapy type, a person should select a therapist with careful consideration. It is important to understand that therapists are all very different. That is to say, each person will have slightly different needs. It is perfectly acceptable to switch therapists if one is not adequately meeting a persons needs, even if that therapist has experience with the persons condition and comes highly recommended. Talk therapy is a very personal experience that requires a great deal of honesty and opening up. This means the personality of a therapist may matter a great deal.
While the task of selecting a therapist can seem overwhelming, an individual may find it helpful to begin by targeting what their reasons are for seeking therapy. For example, if a person is constantly on edge, or experiencing frequent anger issues or depressive episodes, they might search for a therapist who specializes in anxiety and depression .
A healthcare professional might also be of help during this process. If a general practitioner diagnoses a person with a mental health condition, they might also be able to help in recommending therapists who have experience with that particular condition.
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Remember Everything Is Confidential
While there is no shame in admitting that you struggle with mental illness, many people all around the world still do. They try to keep their feelings bottled up and avoid openly admitting their struggles. They feel ashamed. This shame is what keeps many people from going to therapy. However, everything said within your therapy sessions remains confidential. Your therapist cannot share any information about you without your written consent unless they have reason to believe you might harm yourself or others. In that case, it is their professional duty to prevent this harm or contact the authorities.
However, in all other cases, what you tell your therapist remains with them. No one has to know until you feel ready to let others know.
What If It All Goes Wrong
If your doctor tells you to just get rest, or tries to brush you off with a prescription for a low dose of medication, when you really want to speak to a therapist? Then the broken record technique can come in handy. Just calmly but firmly keep repeating that youd really like to talk to someone.
- thank you, but Id really like to have a referral to talk to someone
- I understand there is a wait list, Id still prefer to be referred to a therapist
- I appreciate what you are saying, but Id still really like to be referred for therapy.
And its okay to think tactically. Its your health andwellbeing at stake, after all! If they insist you take a prescription for meds, and it seems that if you walk out with the prescription they might then give you a referral as well? You do not have to then fill the prescription or take the meds. Its your body and your choice.
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How Can Parents Help
You can do things to help your child get the most from therapy. Here are some of them:
- Find a therapist you and your child feel comfortable with. Your child’s health care team can help you find someone.
- Take your child to all the appointments. Change takes time. It takes many therapy visits for your child to learn new skills and keep them up.
- Meet with your child’s therapist. Ask what to do when your child shows problems at home. Ask how to help your child do well.
- Spend time with your child. Play, cook, read, or laugh together. Do this every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
- Parent with patience and warmth. Use kind words, even when you need to correct your child. Show love. Give praise when your child is doing well or trying hard.
Know How To Criticize
Even though we often shy away from criticism, it can be a useful tool for improving behavior. The key is knowing how to frame criticism.
There is a difference between being harsh versus being hard on yourself. Acknowledging areas for personal improvement and working consistently on them is difficult. Holding yourself to high standards is also hard. However, such difficult measures can propel you towards excellence.
On the other hand, being harsh on yourself is a painful form of self-punishment that ultimately tears you down. As an achievement-oriented individual, you may be familiar, even comfortable, with this scathing approach. However, it is not helping you make progress towards your goals. The truth is you are reaching your goals despite being harsh on yourself.
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How To Talk To Your Doctor About Anxiety
Arrive armed with exact information so your doctor cannot brush you off as just stressed.
Anxiety means that you have increasingly illogic patterns of thought that leave you often feeling fearful. And that this sort of behaviour has been going on for around six weeks or more .
Keep a diary for a week or two, writing down:
- what your anxious thoughts are
- what triggered them or didnt
- and the actions your anxiety then resulted in.
For example,so worried that I will say the wrong thing at the work party become sure I will end up being hated then fired so pretend I am sick and skip the party.
Also keep a list of physical symptoms. Anxiety is actually quite a body-based experience. So keep a record of things like a pounding heart, headaches, sleeplessness, and muscle tension.
Our Identity Can Strengthen The Therapeutic Relationship
5. If therapy’s broke, fix it.
Therapy is not supposed to be easy. Starting therapy is hard and even if you’ve been in therapy a while, you’re bound to hit rough patches with regularity. In fact, “deep” sessions where you address and work through tough topics and interpersonal conflicts are generally more effective than “smooth” ones which gloss over important or difficult subjects. However, if therapy is a grudging experience week after week, something is wrong. Seen as early as after the first three sessions, the overall quality and strength of the therapeutic relationship is highly predictive of what the quality of the relationship will be throughout the rest of the treatment.
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What If Im Not Happy With My Therapist
It can take time to build a relationship with your therapist and start to open up. You may feel sad or frustrated after sessions at times depending on what youve talked about. But if youre not happy with how the sessions are going, you can:
- talk to your therapist to try and resolve any problems
- ask your therapist if they can try a different approach
- go back to your GP or referral service to ask if you can see someone else
- find another private therapist
Talking Therapy For The Over
Older people, especially those with depression, are as likely to benefit from talking therapies as everyone else.
Depression in later life, especially over the age of 65, is often dismissed as a normal part of ageing.
But this is not the case, and talking therapy can improve your enjoyment of life if you’re feeling low.
Take a short test to see if you’re depressed.
Talking therapies may also help people with dementia and people looking after them.
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Reasons To Speak With A Therapist
Many people can benefit from speaking with a mental health counselor or therapist. Not only can therapy provide a stress and judgement-free space for expression, it can also help with identification and treatment of any mental health issues. If youve been considering finding a therapist, here are 5 reasons you should reach out today:
1. To Better Yourself
Speaking with a licensed mental health professional can help you not only to work through your own feelings, but can also help you understand how your emotions and actions may be perceived by others. This insight can help you be more aware of your impact on others and how you can adjust your behavior to improve your relationships with others. Counseling and therapy can help you become the best version of yourself in your own eyes, and in the eyes of those around you.
2. To Work Through Anxious Or Intrusive Thoughts
Everyone experiences fears or anxiety occasionally, but when those thoughts affect your everyday life in a negative way, therapy can help you understand the root cause of your feelings and teach coping skills to manage your emotions and thoughts. Talking through past experiences or trauma with a licensed therapist in a safe, judgement-free space can be hugely beneficial for finding new ways to think about your fears or anxieties, which in turn can allow you to find new techniques for managing them day-to-day.
3. To Improve Your Overall Health and Well-Being
5. To Strengthen Your Personal Relationships
Making Anxiety Therapy Work For You
There is no quick fix for anxiety. Overcoming an anxiety disorder takes time and commitment. Therapy involves facing your fears rather than avoiding them, so sometimes youll feel worse before you get better. The important thing is to stick with treatment and follow your therapists advice. If youre feeling discouraged with the pace of recovery, remember that therapy for anxiety is very effective in the long run. Youll reap the benefits if you see it through.
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How To Talk About Suicide
Remember suicide is a public health issue phrases like committed suicide are based on the historical context of when suicide was a crime. Suicide is not a crime, it is a health issue. Consider utilizing phrases such as died by suicide or attempted suicide. .
How to listen to and support someone who is suicidal:
- Choose a time/place that is private and where you can speak openly and comfortably without time constraints
- Use open-ended questions, but also know its okay to ask the question, Are you thinking about hurting/harming/killing yourself?
- Inquire about a plan. People who have established a plan are at higher risk of following through with that plan. Reach out to a crisis hotline or contact other emergency personnel.
- Listen with empathy and without judgment.
- Remember the value of non-verbal communication .
- Reassure the person offer hope and encouragement. Validate their emotions. Many people experience suicidal thinking and many people get better.
- Provide or connect the person to professional resources .
- Help them develop a safety plan
- Remove access to lethal items .
What not to say/do:
If You Need To Try Again
It isnt always a good time for parents to talk, says clinical psychologist Rachel Busman, PhD. If you feel like your parents brushed you off before, try asking them again. Sometimes it takes parents a little time to get the message. But Dr. Busman recommends this time setting aside time to talk. Say, Theres something that I want to talk to you about, and its important. When are you going to be free to talk?
Dr. Busman says going to another adult you trust can be helpful, too. An aunt or an uncle can help you talk to your parents about how youre feeling. A trusted adult at school, like a teacher or a school psychologist, is also a good option. Even if youre having problems at school, someone there will want to help you, says Dr. Busman. Its their job to help you feel successful.
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What To Talk About When Things Are Going Well
If things are going well and youre not in crisis that doesnt mean that there arent important things to discuss. Its important to talk about what specifically is helping and how you are feeling about the positive things in your life. This can help you plan for what to do if life throws a curveball. Its also important to process any concerns that things may go awry.
Things going well can also be a sign that therapy is at its end. If you are at a point where you feel that life is good, bring this up with your therapist! Ending a therapeutic relationship intentionally allows both you and the therapist to assess your progress, discuss any lingering concerns, and, most importantly, experience the ending of a relationship in a healthy way.
Its also important to remember that pausing or ending therapy can be for now and does not have to be forever.
What Makes A Good Therapist
Your relationship with your therapist is really important. A good therapist will listen to you, have your best interests at heart and help you learn how to change. They will check youre getting what you want from therapy and refer you to someone else if they cant help with your particular issue.
What I found really good was being able to talk about what was happening and have someone who was listening she was really good at giving me space, listening to what had happened and discussing what might have caused it not in a deep way but trying to help me piece the whole picture together.
A good therapist concentrates on you what is important in your life, what you want to achieve, what steps you could take to get there. They shouldn’t tell you what to do. Your therapist may be highly trained and very experienced, but you are the expert on you.
Remember therapy is a two-way process. If you have any questions, ask them. A good therapist will help you deal with your worries and work out how you will manage when therapy comes to an end.
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Talk About Your Jealousy
Everyone experiences jealousy at times, but life isnt fun when you feel like you are constantly preoccupied with anyone elses life but your own. Therapy can help you identify your triggers and habits, so you can start building new ones that will become the foundation for building the life you love.
Join The Mental Health Community You’ve Been Dreaming Of
This discord family is a safe place where we can all talk about and seek help for what is going on in our heads.
No matter what youre going through, talk therapy can be a way to break the cycle of anxiety and learn how to manage your anxious thoughts and behaviors more effectively.
But talk therapy is not just for people with mental health conditions. If you want to better understand yourself or even if you just want someone to talk to who wont judge, there are many benefits of talk therapy that will help anyone find relief from their worries and anxieties.
In this blog post, well explore the benefits, types, techniques, and effectiveness of talking therapy
So, lets get started.
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What Do You Talk About In Therapy
If you find it hard at first to get started talking, start small by making conversation and easing into discussion topics that matter to you little by little. Over time you will learn How To Get The Most Out Of Therapy.
When it comes to what to talk about therapy, there arent really any topics off the table. That said, its best if you show up with a willingness to be open, honest, and yes, you guessed it vulnerable. I know the thought of this can be intimidating. But eventually, you will see how good it feels to unload your thoughts heavy and light.
Not just that, but in a safe space and with someone whose primary goal is to help you benefit and move forward from that sharing. Therapists can only really work with what you tell them, so theres only so far you can get if you do not open up.
So what do you talk about in therapy? You can talk about whatever is bothering you. It could be anything on your mind there is no right or wrong, or anything you could say that a therapist would ever judge you for.
Talk with your talk therapist about your relationships, school, or work. Talk to them about a problem you are going through and ask them how to deal with it. In talk therapy, your therapist makes a plan for you to ensure you cover anything you want to talk about and work on. And dont worry if you ever feel stuck. Your therapist will also ask questions and provide structure as needed.