Is Therapy Your New Year's Resolution? Why Healthy Change is Great as a Resolution and Why it's Not.

Just like any resolution or desire to adopt healthy routines or changes, we believe the time isn't tomorrow nor in a month, or even an hour. The time is now.

Resolutions in the new year are meaningful as they can signify the start of a new chapter, but waiting to resolve something can be an accidental practice of procrastinating positive or healthy change. As therapists, we know the other side of the couch can be intimidating. There are natural fears, concerns, and reservations that come along with taking that first step into healing and exploring your deepest parts. Although a daunting task, we believe the benefits of taking the time for yourself to know yourself, grow yourself, and gain greater appreciation for yourself and others make the hard work worthwhile. 

If you are new to therapy, here are four tips for you from our very own, Kayla Sammons:

1. Research therapists and ask questions prior to your session.

This is so important. You should feel comfortable and confident with your therapist. Search engines have made it so simple for us now to truly research before stepping into our first session. And once you do find someone you feel would be a good fit, ask questions that are important for you to know. 

2. Create goals and set expectations for yourself, with yourself, and with your therapist. I tell clients all the time, I don’t just like to set goals, I track them. I will bring them up again as these were so important to you it led you to see me. Expectations are similar – make sure you and your therapist are collaborating.

   
   

3. Be open and honest with yourself and with your therapist. 

Therapists can only work with the information that they have. Be honest, even when it’s hard. Change is not always comfortable, which goes into the fourth tip. 

4. Be easy on yourself – this is a process. There is no “quick fix”.

Just as it says: be easy on yourself. We all know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. It is a process. I wish I could waive a magic wand and help all my clients out immediately. Don’t we all love that immediate gratification? Unfortunately, I cannot do that. 

We also want to normalize the idea that every good therapist isn’t necessarily a good fit for you. If you feel this, talk to your therapist about it. If it still feels like it’s not a good fit after discussing it with them, ask for referrals or search again. It doesn’t mean therapy isn’t for you. 

Start today, start tomorrow, or start next month, the time is best when the motivation, need, and inclination of something new or different all coincide.