People develop several different thoughts and ideas about what therapy is and when someone needs therapy. Many people think that a certain pain threshold has to be breached and then they can say it’s “bad enough” to look for help. Others may be convinced that they can “white-knuckle” a situation and it will eventually work out.
As a South Tampa therapist, I want you to know that you don’t have to be in crisis for therapy to be helpful. If you resonate with any of the following three scenarios, therapy might be right for you.
Your Functioning is Negatively Impacted
Are you suddenly experiencing insomnia or sleeping too much? Is it hard to concentrate at work or at school? Have you been avoiding people or situations that leave you feeling anxious? Do you feel more restless or lethargic lately? These are all examples of impacted functioning.
Impacted functioning can be as extreme as the inability to get out of bed. Sometimes impacted functioning looks like you’re moving more slowly or you’re unable to complete or initiate small tasks that used to be a breeze.
Any change in functioning is a sign that something is going on. If you’re noticing a difference in how you operate, talking with a South Tampa therapist may help you figure out what’s happening and how to get back to feeling like yourself.
Your Relationships are Impacted
When we experience changes in functioning or even in stress level, our relationships are often affected. Do you and your partner feel more distant but you can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong? Are you or your partner more irritable than usual? Has your intimacy changed?
Your relationship doesn’t have to have gone through something devastating like infidelity or volatile conflict in order to meet with a South Tampa therapist. If you’re noticing even subtle shifts in your relationship and you’re wanting to address them before they escalate, therapy might be right for you.
You Want to Use Therapy Preventatively
Are you anticipating a stressful season at work? Are you and your partner expecting a new baby and want to set your relationship up for success? Maybe you’ve realized you have some unhealthy behavior patterns in relationships, and you want to develop more healthy communication strategies before becoming involved with someone.
You may have recently become aware of a trigger, and you want to learn to manage it before it becomes destructive in your life.
Therapy can be used as a preventative tool. If you’re noticing that things are becoming a little harder to tolerate, therapy may be right for you.
There is no problem too small for therapy.
You have every right to invest in yourself and your wellness, no matter what is going on in your life. Whether your world has turned upside-down or you want to learn to manage infrequent episodes of anxiety, you deserve to build a life worth living or enhance the one you have already built. If you’re wondering if therapy could be right for you, reach out to set an appointment with a South Tampa therapist today.
