therapy
Focused on the relationship between doctor and patient. Therapy is the process of self-discovery.
I Went to Therapy the Other Day
I saw a therapist for the first time in over a month a few days ago. I had never seen her before and she did not know anything about me when I walked through the door of her office. I am pretty used to starting over with therapists at this point in my life so I knew that I would have to tell a story that I don't know how to tell. I knew I would have to recount which significant things in my life shaped me into the person sitting in the cushioned chair across from her own with her leg shaking 100 miles per hour with anticipation of spilling words out she hasn't yet fully come to terms with.
By Nikki Rendell8 years ago in Psyche
5 Ways That Therapy Can Help You
Many people think that only those with a mental illness can benefit from therapy. Or that only "crazy" people undergo counseling; but that just isn't true. Anyone, regardless of whether they have mental health problems, can get something out of therapy. Here's why:
By Jessica Purvis8 years ago in Psyche
The Voices in My Head
Sometimes I have some pretty interesting conversations with the voices in my head. No, not audible voices. I’m not that crazy yet. Just thought voices, the kind that everybody has. You know, the little bully in your head going, That was dumb. You shouldn’t have done that. You’re not worth anything. Or the mother always trying to comfort you, saying, “It’s not that big of a deal. At least you tried. It’ll be better next time." Or the ridiculously horny 12 year old girl who won’t shut up about the guy sitting next to you in church when you’re trying to think about Jesus, dammit. Whatever it is for you, we all have those parts of ourselves that don’t quite feel like US. A visitor from the subconscious peeping up to say hello, or maybe a volcano that’s been buried for too long and is ready to burst out and wreak havoc on the life you’ve so painstakingly been building. My therapist taught me about a technique called externalization—you give those voices a name, visualize an appearance for them, and suddenly you see that you can talk back to them, that they don’t have to control your life. I’ve been working on it but it’s been a rough ride. Some of the voices have gotten louder. I’ll be reliving a painful memory, and the bully will come out, shooting his poison darts: No one will ever love you. You’ll never be good enough. You’re broken. It’s as if the emotions roiling around in my heart have decided to package themselves up neatly into words to send to my brain, in simple language so that it can understand. In some ways it’s a relief, hearing those thoughts in actual words, instead of struggling with a vague feeling that something’s not quite right. I know what I’m feeling now, and I know what I’ve been believing. Putting the thoughts into words relieves some of the pain.
By Maria Annie Mo8 years ago in Psyche
Small Traumas (1)
"You don't like that word, trauma, do you?" My therapist looked at me with her unnervingly astute eyes. She had a beaked nose and a no-nonsense attitude that I liked, up to a point at least. I'd missed two days of work due to anxiety and my school had put me in touch with the council therapy service. I got six free sessions.
By Harriet Christabel8 years ago in Psyche
Pain Words Cannot Express
Pain Words Cannot Express “I’m not hungry,” I would say with conviction as I stared at my dinner plate and felt my stomach grumble. This had become my catchphrase when I was a young teenager, and most of the time, I could get away with it. It was easy to skip breakfast on a school day—I could slip out the front door to catch the bus before anyone else was awake and could monitor my eating. During lunch hour I would lie to my friends and say I snacked on my lunch throughout my classes and was no longer hungry. Dinner by far was the hardest to get around, with both my parents and all four sisters carefully observing my dinner plate. If I was lucky, I could serve up my own food in tiny portions. But when my mom finally suggested to me that I might have anorexia nervosa, I was in denial. I felt there was nothing that could set me free of the trial I was being devoured by, especially since I wouldn’t admit my own weaknesses. That was, at least, until I was introduced to art therapy. Finally, through this process of self-expression, I was directed down a path where I accepted my eating disorder and reached out for the help I so desperately needed. Because of this experience, I have since learned the benefits of using art in recovery, and am a strong advocate of it. Art therapy should be used in every anorexia treatment because it easily connects the patients inner-turmoil to verbal expression. I believe this is an exercise than can benefit anyone struggling with an eating disorder.
By Marissa Garner8 years ago in Psyche
Every Woman Should Go to Therapy
I had never heard of Adinkra or their symbols and meanings until I got a chance to go to the Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington D.C. This is not anything that we learn within our institutions of education at any level, at least not at any of the schools that I have attended primary or secondary.
By SAYHERNAME Morgan Sankofa8 years ago in Psyche
What Does a Girl Have to Do to Get Some Therapy Around Here?
After spending a handful of years struggling on and off with painful bouts of clinical depression and PTSD, I decided it was time to go back to seeing a therapist. It wasn't that I was necessarily afraid to talk about my issues, but the issue with depression is that one of the side effects tends to be a lack of motivation, which unfortunately, creates a kind of catch-22 situation (being that you think maybe you should get help for your depression, then your depression keeps you from calling someone and getting help). Alas, after several conversations with myself back and forth, I decide to deal with my problems.
By Rachel Bee8 years ago in Psyche
A Self-Care Guide
Sometimes, you go through so much it affects you in ways you can't even begin to explain. And if you're lucky, you have "your person" to talk to. But even with a support system, you may feel like you don't want to share too much, afraid that your person might begin to feel what you're feeling too deeply, or afraid that you can't trust that whomever you pour your heart into won't judge you and walk away. I know that feeling all too well as it's happened to me over and over again.
By Aurea Gonzalez8 years ago in Psyche
