Safe Place: It’s Your Turn To Talk

Deciding or not whether to have therapy isn’t an easy decision to make as often many of us don’t like thinking about our feelings let alone sharing them with someone else! However, therapy can be a way to overcome difficult emotional situations, understand yourself and others thought process better and hopefully allow you to emerge a stronger, more confident adult. Sadly, in the past having therapy has been seen as a negative thing and while everyone from stay at home moms to CEOs is a client there’s still a lot of misinformation floating around.

Dollars To Donuts

We thought we’d better clear up on stereotype right away in that only wealthy individuals can afford therapy! There are plenty of free drop-in centers where you can go and talk to someone, plenty of health insurance plans cover psychotherapy, CBT, and emotional regulation treatments as well as therapists who offer discounts if you pay in cash, or book a block of treatment sessions at the same time. Yes, there are, of course, practices that’ll charge up to $300 per session and depending on where you live you may find it better to work with an online therapist.

Therapists, unlike many health professionals, charge by the hour, but you’ll find that a single session is only fifty minutes and has been that way since the days of Jung and Freud. Luckily, there are therapy comparison websites such as Network Therapy and Good Therapy that’ll allow you to compare the fee structure of several different practices.

Finding A Good Therapist

If you’re new to the world of therapy or have been referred by your doctor or physician, then things might seem more than a little daunting. However, good therapists are there to help you gain insight into your own behavior, deal with difficult situations and focus on the positive not negative aspects of your life. For instance, when a couple undergoes Mediation, divorce attorneys often suggest that they both go to therapy as well (although proactive couples therapy may help you avoid divorce in the first place). If this applies to you you’ll need to give your ex-partner the chance to decide who’s right for them.

You can either ask your doctor for a recommendation, or do an online search where you can not only assess their credentials but whether they specialize in an individual treatment, for instance, CBT and how successful their business is by looking at client testimonies. Feel free to contact them as a) you need to double check their qualifications and license and b) it’ll give you an idea of whether you’d be a good fit as not all therapist’s and client’s mesh.

Online Or Offline?  

These days, you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home to attend therapy as many practitioners offer Skype, email and telephone sessions. Online therapy is somewhat unique as you’ve not got the person with you instead voice chats, texts and messages are used more often. Studies have shown that this form of therapy does work, and should often be used to supplement sessions as well as reassure clients over the holidays or when their current therapist is unavailable to see them.