It used to be that people thought “seeing a therapist” was reserved for those experiencing a mental health crisis. But in recent years, thanks in part to companies like Happier Living, many people have become more open to the idea of therapy as a routine part of a holistic approach to one’s mental and physical health.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked four of our clinicians to share their thoughts on how we can all benefit from regular therapy sessions.
Jacqueline Nesci, Therapist
I believe that therapy is essential for maintaining our mental health even when there are no crises and when things are "okay" or even "good." I feel that it is important for people to have an unbiased, objective opinion from someone who they trust and to be able to process their feelings – whatever they might be – in order to deal with the daily stressors of everyday life.
At one point or another, we all tend to fall back into "old patterns" that are not healthy, and continuing therapy is a way to prevent this from happening.
Sandra Schmidt, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Although therapy is helpful to utilize during periods of stress or mental health crises, it is also useful as a self-care tool. In our busy day-to-day lives, it is easy to forget about ourselves and to remember to carve out the time we need to energize and refill ourselves. As a clinician I have worked with many clients who use therapy as a self-care routine in their days: having a professional to bounce ideas off of, address conflict as it arrives, and continue working on ourselves.
As humans we are always working to improve ourselves and we are constantly growing and changing. Having a professional who we can meet with to discuss challenges as they arrive, learning new tools and techniques to improve ourselves and our relationships with others… The possibilities are endless when we step back and view therapy as a gift we can give ourselves to continue growing and becoming happier and more fulfilled with our lives.
Jacqueline Pusateri, Psychologist
Therapy is a great way to carve out time for yourself as a means of self-care. It is a great way to pause, check in with yourself and reflect on how we are feeling and our true state of mind (that we might be suppressing in order to finish the tasks of the week).
Therapy offers a chance to ask yourself: What felt really great that week? What was challenging, hard, or difficult? How did I cope? What did I learn about myself ? Am I showing up for myself in the way that I want to for myself, my loved ones, and for others? Am I acknowledging my strengths, accomplishments or discounting them? What do I want to focus on in the week ahead to ensure I am aligned with my values and nurturing my emotional, mental, and physical health?
All of these questions are important to me and my practice of self-care, and often therapy is the place where we can carve out that time to prioritize those needs. Preventive care and maintenance is the key to our successes.
Dr. Alexis Weisinger, Psychologist and Director of Clinician Experience
Attending therapy regularly not only acts as a means of self-care, but it can prevent a crisis from occurring or provide us a chance to develop healthy coping skills and resilience in advance of a crisis occurring, ensuring we are well-equipped to handle whatever life throws our way.
