Are you looking to grow? It doesn’t have to be marked by the biggest milestones however if you’re looking to grow in any area, therapy can be a great addition to your journey. At times we mark therapy as an option when our feelings and emotions are at a height, however therapy can be an asset to you wherever you are on your growth journey. Enhancing skills such as problem-solving, coping strategies for mental health diagnoses, learning and maintaining boundaries are reasons some of my clients choose to enter therapy. There’s no one size fits all reason that you may be considering starting or returning to therapy, whatever your reason know that I’m hopeful that we can get you to the point of growing in your journey.

Other benefits include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values

• Developing skills for improving your relationships

• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy

• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety

• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures

• Improving communications and listening skills

• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones

• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage

• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Throughout our lives, we all learn ways to handle and cope with problems as they arise, developing and maintaining healthy coping skills is where therapy can come in. It’s also important to note that within historically marginalized communities, there’s been a badge of honor associated with managing our problems alone--what if you didn’t have to? There’s nothing wrong with seeking support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

Because each person has different concerns and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly). It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals.

The short answer is yes. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:

• What are my mental health benefits?

• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?

• How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?

• How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?

• Is approval required from my primary care physician?