Many find it difficult to come into a therapist’s office to work through their trauma. It can feel easier to, “put a band-aid on it”, and find ways to cope with the symptoms of trauma. Some symptoms of trauma are: anxiety, depression, being easily startled, and to keep using any skills you’ve developed to protect yourself now from anything resembling what you’ve been through before. Anything that felt traumatic to you can affect how you interact, react, and respond to people, places or things.
How do you get yourself get to a place where you can address what you’ve been through? It’s not always as simple as just making a phone call to a therapist, or to, “ just do it”. It can be scary to even think about reaching out for help.
“Putting a Band-Aid on it” will not allow you to work through your trauma. The wound is still open underneath. In 2019, I went to our Florida Mental Health Counselors Association’s annual conference. I still remember the words from a veteran in a seminar about trauma. She said, “If somebody tells you they don’t have any trauma, they are lying.“ We’ve all been through something.
Having trauma does not mean you have to have been through a combat experience. But, it doesn’t mean it does not feel like that to you. If something is still affecting you, you could benefit from working through it, instead of around it.
You may have tried traditional talk therapy, and maybe learned how to manage your reactions, but the feelings are still there. Oftentimes, when you are talking about your experience with trauma, you are reliving it. With a therapist that specializes in trauma therapies such as Brainspotting, EMDR or ART, you can move through your trauma.
It can be scary to begin. Yet, to find resolve and peace that you’ve not yet been able to attain, that first step of reaching out may be necessary for you to move forward with your life in a way you haven’t seen yet. As I explain in my video on Brainspotting, you don’t have to hold onto things anymore.
Get support from someone. If it’s been difficult to look up a therapist and make that phone call for yourself, ask for help. I’ve personally had a good number of client’s family members and loved ones reach out to me on their behalf. Oftentimes, family members that have reached out on another’s behalf have then joined in on the beginning of initial sessions. Support matters.
Schedule your therapy sessions at a time that is convenient for you. Therapy should not lead to other life stressors. There are therapists, myself included, that have more flexible schedules different than 9 to 5. This makes it easier than having to take time off during your work week. Therapy is included in having a work/life balance.
Know that it’s normal to be anxious. Remember, you are coming to see another person that happens to be a therapist. If you find a therapist that is a good fit for you, your anxiety should subside as you both get to know each other. If not, it is okay to seek out another therapist that is a good fit for you. Remember, this is for your mental health.
Know that you are not going to be rushed through your therapy journey. When addressing any concern bringing you to therapy, it should be going at your personal pace. Knowing that you are actually the one in charge of the pace of sessions can help you feel like you’re gaining some of your power back, because you are. The environment provided in a therapy room should be making you feel comfortable beginning your path back to that part of yourself you’ve been missing.
Above all, know that therapy is confidential. Unless you sign a release otherwise, and you are over age 18, your therapist is under strict guidelines to not disclose that you are coming to therapy. It is your choice if you want to share you’re getting help.
Most importantly, be proud of yourself. If you’ve read this article, you may have been thinking about seeking out therapy for something, or more than one thing, that has been affecting your life. Change is hard. Not changing may be proving harder. Thinking about change is movement forward. You can get to a place where you accept yourself for all that you are, and all that you’ve been through.
If you’ve been struggling, and feel you are ready to reach out, please don’t hesitate to reach out here. You will receive a space of non-judgment, and guidance towards the changes you are now ready to make. If this article was helpful for you, please don’t hesitate to share this with someone you feel could also benefit.
Amy
1. Get support from someone.
2. Schedule your therapy sessions at a time that is convenient for you.
3. Know that it’s normal to be anxious.
4. Know that you are not going to be rushed through your therapy journey.
5. Above all, know that therapy is confidential.
6. Most importantly, be proud of yourself