Seeking Treatment
There are many circumstances and feelings, which bring a person to the realization that she or he needs assistance from a mental health professional. Often people seek treatment when they recognize that they are having difficulty coping with issues or when they are not feeling fully satisfied with their life. Sometime it is interference with personal relationships that brings a person into therapy, particularly if there is significant conflict with family and other loved ones. It may be particularly troubling when relationship difficulties seem to have patterns that repeat throughout the person’s life. Work related problems might also bring a person into treatment. Sometimes a person may find that relational issues occurring in personal life also appearing in the workplace.
My professional and personal experience has shown me that many of the issues that move a person to seek a therapist develop out of an inner feeling of being ‘not good enough’ or ‘not loveable enough.’ Sometimes, feelings that vary from uneasy to acute emotional pain or distress can emerge after experiences of trauma and loss. Most often, disquieting feelings about oneself may have no apparent cause or reason but the resulting impact on life satisfaction can be overwhelming. All of these inner thoughts, what we might refer to as the “inner life” of the individual, can interfere with relationships (externally between yourself and others or internally with yourself), your sense of potential or accomplishment (influencing your job/educational goals/life satisfaction), as well as compromising overall satisfaction, well-being and the receiving and giving of joy.
Seeking psychotherapy can be an overwhelming process in itself. How does you find a person you can confide in and trust with what is often very deeply held thoughts and beliefs that might not otherwise be shared? What do you look for in a psychotherapist that might better insure that the person will be most likely to properly attend to the wide range of emotions and experiences that may need to be explored? Finding someone suitable may be easier if a friend or family member has had a good experience with a therapist, or if you have received a professional recommendation. Sometimes the search may be aided by looking online for therapists in your area. Once you are satisfied with the professional qualifications, read about the type of treatment they offer, what types of problems they treat, and, most importantly, read their personal statements and philosophy of care to get a gut feeling of what the therapist is about. Then make a phone call to see how you feel about their interest in your problem, their scheduling availability, and their level of compassion and care.
