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As many strides as we've made toward making it easier to talk about mental health (in the U.S., at least), a lot of us still view therapy as something you only resort to when you're in crisis.
The perception that therapy is only for when you're at the end of your rope is understandable — after all, therapy is still stigmatized — but it's a misconception. It can certainly be helpful if you're suffering from a diagnosed mental health problem (or looking for a mental health diagnosis), but it can also be beneficial for anyone, at any point of their life.
"Because a lot of us tend to be so busy and always on-the-go, it can be a really good time to stop and really do some reflection on yourself and get into what’s going on in your life," says Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, an Atlanta-based therapist who runs the podcast Therapy for Black Girls. "If nothing else, it gives you 60 minutes in the week to be focused on yourself."
That being said, therapy isn't always affordable or accessible — in which case Dr. Bradford says that you might also try community mental health centers or group therapy sessions.
"Sometimes, if you’ve been holding something in for so long, just the experience of steering it with another person allows you to feel better, because you aren’t carrying that load alone anymore," Dr. Bradford says.
The takeaway is that there are plenty of valid reasons for you to seek help or talk to someone, and your emotional well-being is worth looking after. With that in mind, read on for a few reasons to go to therapy that you might not have expected.
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