Do I need a therapist? When to see a therapist
Do I need a therapist, or should I try to manage my problems on my own? This is an important question that might come up when facing problems or unpleasant emotions and thoughts. When to see a therapist? Is there any clear sign that it is time to talk to someone?
It is worth mentioning that all of us go through difficult periods in life. Sometimes the psychological pain and the intensity of the emotions are so heightened that we feel overwhelmed, which can impact our work, relationships, physical health and other areas of our daily life. When this happens, we can get stuck, not knowing how to solve the problem or improve the situation. This is the sign we need to know when to see a therapist.
A qualified therapist can help you to identify the cause of the problem, learn more about your own mind and behaviour, and practice new skills to handle your problems and feelings more skilfully, reducing the emotional suffering, so you can continue with your life.
Going to therapy doesn’t mean you are weak, but the opposite. Going to therapy is a very wise and brave solution to overcome difficult periods in life. Unfortunately, some people don’t recognise the need to see a therapist, and they hold the burden for a long time. However, we know that the sooner you work on your problems and emotional health, the better the prognostic of healing. Hence, it is important to recognise the problem and seek help as soon as possible, rather than let it be for too long.
How to book your session
Email now: [email protected]
Our therapists are qualified and registered with reputable professional associations for psychotherapy and counselling.
When to see a therapist?
If you are undergoing emotional problems that are affecting your day-to-day life, you could benefit from seeing a therapist. We recommend talking to someone when:
- Emotional suffering is starting to impact your day-to-day life, whether that is your work/studies, social life, relationships, or any other area.
- You feel you lack the energy, strength or resources needed to solve the problems on your own.
- You experience a series of symptoms, such as poor quality of sleep, loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy, a sense of being on edge or constantly stressed, loss or gain of weight, etc.
- You have tried several solutions to improve the situation, but nothing has worked.
- You engage in self-criticism and experience an intense sense of guilt or blame.
- Something has changed in your life, and you are having issues adapting to the new reality.
- You are stuck thinking of mistakes made in the past and can’t move on.
- You can’t stop ruminating about your present problems or future ones.
- Your fears about the future have gone out of control and are unable to relax and see a bigger perspective.
- You have trouble managing your emotions, whether that is anxiety, anger, depression, or any other feeling.
- You are more irritable and vulnerable than usual.
- You are experiencing mood changes more often.
- You have difficulty communicating with others and feel you can’t manage your relationships without help.
- You are avoiding places, people, situations or activities, which has an impact on your daily life.
- You are using alcohol or other substances to manage your problems or emotions.
- You are having thoughts of harming yourself or feeling as though you don’t want to be here anymore.
- You want to work on new skills or find a new purpose or goal in life.
What problems can a therapist help with?
A qualified therapist is a professional that holds an official qualification and meets strict professional requirements. They know a variety of scientifically proven tools and have experience helping people to use them to improve their problems and situation.
Therapists can help with a large range of mental health conditions. Some examples include:
>> Depression
>> Anxiety
>> Social anxiety
>> Panic disorder
>> Stress
>> Low self-esteem
>> Eating disorders
>> OCD
However, you don’t need to have a mental health condition to benefit from therapy. Therapy can also help with things like:
>> Relationship problems
>> Loss and grief
>> Work or career difficulties
>> Habits you want to eliminate
>> Managing physical pain
>> Psychosomatic disorders, such as fibromyalgia.
How will a therapist help me?
Your therapist can help you in many different ways. Some examples include:
- Your therapist will make you feel understood. She/he will show empathy and compassion, and you will have a safe space where you can share your emotions and thoughts without being judged.
- Your therapist will encourage you to share and unload anything important for you. You will feel lighter after sharing what is bothering you.
- Your therapist can bring to awareness patterns of thought or behaviour you might not be aware of. You can use this information to make changes in your life.
- Your therapist can help you see different perspectives on different situations or problems.
- Your therapist can show you tools and skills that will help you manage your problems more helpfully. You can use these tools any time after finishing therapy.
- Your therapist can teach you ways to manage emotions more skilfully.
If you notice that something has changed in you, you are struggling or you are not enjoying life anymore, it is probably time to look for a qualified therapist in Edinburgh or wherever you are. Don’t assume these changes are due to age or environmental factors, remember that situations are not good or bad on their own, what can be overwhelming are the interpretations we make of those situations. A therapist can help you find new ways of interpreting your problems and difficulties and tools to tackle those.
Contact us if you are ready to take the first step!