How do we know when we need therapy?
Many of us experience points in our life when the resources available to us to maneuver the road ahead are insufficient; our personal strength and resolve being at an all time low. At the same time we may querstion the need for outside assistance: deciding circumstances aren't bad enough, possibly viewing seeking help as a sign of weakness, etc.
Needing assistance is not a weakness, it's called being human. Needing knowledgeable advice is not that you are lacking or deficient, but that you are wise enough to understand that you don't know everything, wise enough to acknowledge that there are trained compassionate professionals that can shine light on areas of your life that you have not been able to decipher on your own.
Often it is the individiual who needs help the most who is the least aware of his or her condition. So many of us are living life on fast forward, either feeling unable, or being unwilling to stop long enough to ask, "Is this where I was going?"
"I have not seen the plays in town only the computer printouts
I have not read the latest books only the Wall Street Journal
I have not heard birds sing this year only the ringing of phones
I have not taken a walk anywhere but from the parking lot to my office
I have not shared feelings in years but my thoughts are known to all
I have not listened to my own needs but what I want I get
I have not shed a tear in ages
I have arrived
Is this where I was going?"
Natasha Josefowitz
Questionnaire
- Are you finding you are suffering from any of the following: poor concentration, changes in sleep patterns and/or appetite, a decrease in motivation or interest in life?
- Are you feeling depressed, emotionally numb, or do you have continual sadness that rarely eases up?
- Do you often find yourself being irritated at people and/or situations, and/or having angry/emotional outbursts?
- Do you view yourself as worthless, hopeless, and/or helpless?
- Do you find yourself being self-destructive emotionally or physically?
- Do you find yourself in a constant state of excessive worrying?
- Are you experiencing difficulty leaving the house or completing everyday tasks?
- Do you have fears or phobias that limit your full participation in normal everyday life?
- Are you suffering from hallucinations, nightmares, and/or flashbacks of traumatic events?
- Are you having behavior changes noticed by yourself or others?
- Do you question your life choices; remorse for choices you made, that you wish you hadn't and/or regret what you did not do that you wish you had?
If you identify with any of the above perspectives and/or questionnaire, I invite you to take a step towards lasting change.
