It Takes Courage to Seek Help

Here’s an exercise I always do with my students. Close your eyes. Imagine that you are in distress. Something in your life has gone very wrong, so wrong that you feel stuck, so wrong that you have no idea which way to turn. Sometimes the stuck feels physical, like you can’t move at all. Now imagine that the only way out is to share your deepest, darkest thoughts with someone you don’t know. Imagine that you are going to have to find this person yourself, through a maze of mental health systems that you don’t understand. So you put in the work. There’s a mental health shortage, so you call lots of therapists and their schedules are all full. Finally, you find one who feels like a good fit. You navigate scheduling. So much effort went into that first meeting. And here you are. You’ve worked really hard and it felt like a huge achievement to get to the first appointment, but sharing your thoughts and feelings is far scarier than expected. It takes bravery and courage to seek help. 

Therapists know that there aren’t enough of us to meet the ever-growing need. That’s why I teach. I hope we can grow our field so that everyone who wants one can find a therapist. But, it’s still hard to take that first step. 

Please know that your therapist knows how challenging this is. I do. 

You are brave and courageous to seek help. Own that. You are amazing!