Everyone has issues at different times in their life, which keeps you from feeling complete or happy. Unfortunately, many people think that asking for help or reaching out to talk to a professional is a sign of weakness and can be looked down upon in some families. The reality is nothing could be further from the truth. Life has many challenges, and you will feel stronger and more confident facing them with individual and adult therapy.
If you are hurting inside, or your life just does not seem to be working, talking with friends or family members can sometimes help you feel a little better for a while. But even the most well-meaning friend cannot provide therapy. Adult therapy is a treatment process that uses specialized techniques of caring that have been designed to offer effective, long-lasting help for adult people suffering from a wide range of difficulties, such as emotional distress, anxiety, marital strife, fears, a significant loss, or a clinical disorder. Adult therapy can also help fulfill aspirations for personal growth or self-improvement.
One of the biggest misconceptions about adult therapy is that seeing a therapist is a sign of weakness. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Recognizing the need for help and seeking professional therapy is a sign of both strength and your determination to live a productive and meaningful life! Working together, you and your therapist will identify your goals and agree on how you will know when you are making progress. Adult therapy has one clear and definite purpose: that something of positive value and constructive usefulness will come out of it for people that reach a certain age.
In reality, adult therapy can offer a much richer experience than the simple exchange of words and advice. The thoughts and feelings you share and the professional techniques the therapist uses are not nearly as important as the relationship you build together. Because the relationship with the therapist is so essential to the effectiveness of the process, it is very important that you find someone with whom you feel a comfortable connection, a therapist who makes you feel understood.
As therapy progresses and your trust in the therapist's non-judgmental acceptance of your thoughts and feelings is established, you will actually use the relationship as an opportunity to reshape significant emotional experiences and work through problems in your life. In therapy, you intentionally make yourself vulnerable to another human being and you may talk about some things that are very painful for you. However, it is the very process of trusting that is safe to release your feelings--the good and the bad--and knowing that the therapeutic relationship permits you to safely explore deeply felt sources of conflict and dissatisfaction that will finally allow you to make lasting, positive changes in your life.
