Why Go To Therapy

Going to therapy doesn’t mean there is something “wrong" with you. We have done a lot of work in our culture around de-stigmatizing mental health care, but still there’s this belief that can get us when it's time for us to reach out for some support. Therapists have heard countless times from folks new in therapy that they waited a long time because what they wanted to work on in sessions didn’t seems “serious” or “important” enough.

Listen, we are all just out here trying to make it after a global pandemic, in the face of multiple existential threats and oppressive societal structures. It's ok if that gets to you and you don’t want to be alone in those hard conversations.

So here are some reasons some of us go to therapy, whether or not we have a diagnosed mental health concern:

– We are grieving (something, someone, all change = grief on some level)

– We are in a new stressful situation (work, parenting, illness in the family, aftermath of global pandemic)

– We need help dealing with our relationships (are they the problem or is it us and what the hell do we do about it?)

– We are experiencing changes in our faith or family traditions

– We want to understand our emotions better (why am I always ____, that’s not really me)

– We feel lonely (how do I make more meaningful connections?)

– We have been harmed and we don’t know who to tell

– We feel dread or worried and we don’t know why (does everyone feel this way?)

I (Autumn) am writing this post to lower the bar of entry for folks who want to go to therapy but aren’t sure they “meet the criteria.” I am simultaneously aware of how ableism has influenced how we see ourselves and our own mental health. In some ways, if we are naming our struggles as “not that bad” we may be trying to honor the experiences of those with chronic mental health concerns…but actually end up “othering” them. There is a lot of nuance here and many more of us meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis than you may think.

So clearly there is a lot to unpack here about why we go to therapy, why we don’t, and how we see ourselves and others. More to come.

- Autumn Starks, LCSW (about)

Founder and Psychotherapist, Starks Therapy Group

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DISCLAIMER: The sole purpose of this post is to keep individuals informed of Starks Therapy Group's events, provide useful information related to mental health issues and provide thoughtful content related to self care and mental health. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental illness. This post is not monitored daily and is used for information sharing only. If you wish to communicate directly with someone at Starks Therapy Group, please call (708) 689-3055‬. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911.