I have always been a huge proponent of therapy and believe everyone would benefit from seeing a professional regularly. Mental & emotional health are just as important as physical health.
Part of the process is finding the right therapist for you. I was very fortunate to be referred to Dr. Smith by my PCP and we were a perfect fit right from the beginning. She is such a great balance of intelligent and educated as well as casual and approachable.
From my first visit, she helped me to recognize my limitations and ensure I always felt safe. Subtle things she did, like opening the windows, playing music, and offering me water, were a huge help in easing my anxiety about what I knew would be difficult to discuss.
Dr. Smith took the time needed (which for me was 3 visits) and talked about safe topics until I was ready to start touching on the true trauma. Since then, we have identified many triggers and begun to discover the root causes and work through the pain and build healthy coping mechanisms and emotional balance.
I highly recommend giving Dr. Smith a try. She will help you feel welcome and relaxed and take cues from you about how to proceed.
My suggestion always is to stick it out for 4-6 visits and see if you feel you are connecting with the therapist and making progress, even if it is slowly at the beginning. And sometimes, it's not the right fit...which is also ok. Don't quit, find the right therapist for you. Everyone deserves to learn introspection and to grow into the best version of themselves. read more