Crazy For Therapy?

As I've mentioned, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist/Clinical Hypnotherapist in Greenwich, CT. I have worked in a multitude of places, fulfilling various roles (both as an administrator, and as a provider of direct clinical care), with a myriad of people. My population of choice? The chronic and persistently mentally ill, i.e., people whose minds reside in the realms of psychotic and/or delusional disorders, people who have Schizophrenia, people with suicidal/homicidal thoughts, people who have sustained traumatic brain injuries, etc. As a college Professor, I also teach students how to treat and serve people who have these conditions with the utmost compassion, patience and respect...just as they would like to be treated.

Let me switch gears for a minute. I think a common misconception about going to therapy is that one has to be severely mentally ill to go to therapy/get treatment. There is a lot of shame and stigma associated with this concept, which often hinders people from seeking the help that they may desperately need. Let's face it: we ALL have issues - none of us are exempt, and if you think about it, there's some comfort in this common bond that we share as human beings. We are uniquely and beautifully flawed. We haven't always made the best of choices. There's probably a little something that we try to hide from the rest of the world every day so as not to demolish that perfect 'I-have-it-all-together' facade. How much relief would you feel if you didn't have to do that anymore? Well, at least for one hour to start. Go to therapy. Hear me out....

I always look forward to the first night of the 'Intro to Counseling' course that I teach. Fresh, bright-eyed students, who are there because they really want to be, and are ready to absorb EVERYTHING that I have to teach them. When I ask them to get right down into it though, by taking a risk and opening up to people that they have potentially never met before, all of a sudden, life looks pretty good! There are no issues, no struggles, no current challenges. Hmmm....amazing! The only people in the world with no issues, and they ALL happen to be together in MY class! I remind them that if they ever expect a patient to do what I have asked of them, to take a risk and open up to someone who was completely new and unfamiliar, they HAD TO KNOW WHAT IT FELT LIKE. They got the hint. Problems all of a sudden started to materialize.

As important as it is to remain as positive as possible, and stay mindful in the moment while practicing radical acceptance, understanding that the past is the past (we can't change it); we can't really worry about the future because we can't predict it (well, some people can't); this means that all we have is RIGHT NOW. However, our 'right now's' may hit temporary roadblocks. Perhaps you are suffering from anxiety, circumstantial depression, ambivialence regarding your life's purpose and/or so many more things; give yourself the greatest gift ever and find a Therapist (one that is either covered by your INS, or offers a 'sliding scale fee plan'. I know you're "busy", and you don't want people to think your "crazy" but people, these excuses are tired. You probably have some sort of an appointment book or device in which you maintain your meetings, etc. Schedule in that hour of therapy, and consider it just as important as anything else you have written down. This is YOUR TIME to share your thoughts, feelings, opinions, gripes, exciting news, goals and dreams with an unbiased person whose purpose is to LISTEN TO YOU, and has been trained to guide you in the journey of being the 'best you' that you can be. It's something that you can do JUST FOR YOU - and who knows? You might even discover some triggers or baggage that you are still carrying, and can finally release the negative energy that had been holding you back from truly achieving what you want. This power will enable you to manifest new truths about yourself, and this will only inspire and motivate you to move forward and get whatever it is that you want.

I am a Psychotherapist, and I am not ashamed to say that I go to therapy. Yup! You read it right. I see a Counselor every week, who specializes in dealing with chronic pain and PTSD (which corresponding stories will be saved for future posts). Every time I leave my Counselor's office, whether we discussed the frustrations of the week, or I cried the entire session because I had been in pain, or was actually happy because I wasn't feeling as sick as the week before, it is always a very cathartic experience. Additionally, for me in particular, I should be the FIRST ONE in treatment because how could I possibly expect my patients to do something that I was not willing to do myself?

So, if you've been debating making the call, DO IT.
If you've been feeling down, and it's not going away, find someone to talk to.
If you already see a Therapist of sorts, good for you! Keep going (even when you feel at your best).
Regardless of what you do, please, please join me in the elimination of thought that going to therapy is a 'taboo' issue.
How could anyone judge you for taking care of your mental/ emotional health, just as you would your physical health by going to a doctor?

I'm NOT crazy BECAUSE I go to therapy; I'm crazy ABOUT therapy. BIG difference.

My name is Megan and I see a Therapist.
Thank you for reading. <3