How I Knew It Was Time for Therapy (and how you might know too)
The first time I chose therapy for myself was in college. I was overwhelmed trying to manage classes, a job, and being deeply involved in various campus organizations. I remember feeling like I was juggling too many responsibilities at once and had no idea how to make the fast paced merry-go-round slow down. The idea of letting any of them go felt dangerous, but keeping all of them going was becoming impossible. I simply didn’t have it to give anymore.
Walking into the campus counseling center felt awkward and vulnerable, but I was exhausted and out of ideas. I didn’t tell anyone I was going. I didn’t feel like I had people in my life who were willing to sit with my pain without adding their own judgments or opinions.
My assigned counselor took the time to get to know me, beyond the surface. She helped by holding the weight of some of my responsibilities while I sorted out what needed to change. Having someone bear witness made it easier to decide which responsibilities I could let go of or pass along, and which ones I genuinely valued enough to prioritize.
It helped.
A lot.
So much so that I went back to therapy in graduate school, and several other times throughout adulthood. My spouse and I have used couples counseling to hear and understand each other better. I’ve brought my kids to family therapy so we could deepen our emotional connections and improve communication. In many ways, therapy has supported me, my life, and my relationships.
I know the idea of starting therapy might feel like a major undertaking, espcially if you’ve never done it before. But it’s really not as intimidating as it seems. At its core, therapy is two people talking. Your therapist is there to help you sort through the muck of your life so you don’t have to dig through it alone. And when you hit a snag - a painful memory, a ruminating thought, a coping pattern that isn’t working anymore - your therapist has tools and techniques to help you navigate or overcome those experiences.
So if you’re not feeling like yourself and can’t explain why…
If you’re stressed, anxious, overwhelmed…
If you’re repeating the same unwanted patterns over and over…
Or if you’re just tired of doing everything on your own…
Consider therapy.
Taking the first step is brave, especially in a society that teaches us we should be able to push through, get over it, and keep going without missing a beat. That’s unrealistic. And honestly? It’s harmful. There’s nothing wrong with needing help or support. We’re humans, and humans are wired to need emotional connections with one another. That’s our biology.
But there’s one part that is your responsibility:
You have to reach out.
No one can walk you into therapy.
No one can do the work of opening up for you.
If you need support, you have to take the first step. You deserve help. You deserve relief. You deserve connection.
If you’d like to learn more about therapy with me, I offer virtual therapy to anyone in Indiana, Tennessee, or office sessions in my Indianapolis office. Click here to learn more.
