5 Ways Therapy Can Amazingly Change Your Life

Sharon Moore January 08, 2015

There’s often a ‘buzz’ among people who hear about ‘therapy’. For most of us, seeking therapy means there’s something wrong with us or we are not in the right state of mind. Unfortunately, this is not how therapy is supposed to be.

In fact, many people who seek therapy include successful individuals, including celebrities, public officials and leaders. Therapy is not a hocus pocus, mental brainwashing or head-shrinking as what others may think. It is a scientifically proven technique that can aid in many areas of our life, particularly those that pharmaceutical companies cannot address.

So whether you are dealing with a difficult time in your life, like a major transition, or you simply want to be more in control of it and get better at handling stress or managing your personal or social relationships, therapy is going to be a big help. And here’s how.

Improving relationships.

For most people, relationships are a main thing. We give importance to our social relationships, particularly the more personal ones like our family, friendships and marriage. But in every type of relationship, there is always a rough spot. As they say, there’s no ‘perfect relationship’. Even those who have been together for many, many years now also go through ups and downs as well. Therapists are expert relaters, and are highly skilled at treating all varieties of relational problems. Whether it’s about marriage, parenting, conflicts between siblings, work relationships or friendships – they got you covered. While medication can treat symptoms of depression which developed from unhealthy relationships, it doesn’t address the root cause. Medications can’t teach you how to be in a relationship. Therapy can.

Establishing relationships.

Just because you are single, living alone, or lack friends doesn’t mean you can no longer benefit from therapy. While social media enhances communication and connection, they don’t teach us or prepare us towards healthy relationships. There are couples who are very expressive about their feelings over the phone or through chats, but find it hard to say what they feel in person. Therapy allows for an intimacy workout that enhances connection and communication. It helps us express our emotions better, in a way that our partners (or other people) would understand.

Increasing motivation and career satisfaction.

Each year, a lot of people lose their job and can’t find another. Some do find a job but in the long run, become unhappy of it. Some do struggle with the demoralising issue of job loss and stressful pressure of job hunting. In times like this, therapy can help evaluate what exactly are the things people are concerned about their careers. At the same time, therapy is a great venue to learn how to motivate yourself more to do better at work even if it’s not really in line with your passion, by helping you figure out what you like most of your job (like friendships, considerate bosses, etc.).

Managing emotions.

Being able to manage your emotions is one of the best skills that can help you achieve your goals and succeed in life. Furthermore, unexpressed emotions can backfire, as it make you hold grudges, refuse help and support, and deal with your problems alone. Therapy can help you decipher emotions and deal with deeper issues. Emotional management makes it possible for you to reach properly on most types of situations, even those that are really nerve-whacking. Therapists are skilled at helping people become more in control of their emotions.

Developing self-compassion.

Most of the time, we get too concerned about other people that we almost forget to look after ourselves. Seeking therapy is a great way to enhance the quality of your life, from your relationship to your career, and everything in between. It is a safe place to explore and get to know yourself better. If you are hindered by old habits, relationship conflicts or past hurts that weigh you down, getting help from a professional counsellor is going to be a big help. Or if you are struggling with making decisions, identifying what you really want in life or any other things that bother you, it’s a great place to be.

Therapy is not just about treating something wrong about a person mentally or emotionally. More often than not, it is also about making something better. Whether you are going through a difficult time in your life right now, or you simply want to improve an area of your life, or be more connected to your inner self, therapy is really worth a try.