Talk therapy is for you.
What is talk therapy?
Talk therapy is just another name for psychotherapy or counselling. Usually talk therapy involves meeting with a therapist either in person or online for less than an hour. Once you choose a therapist who is the right fit for you, based on needs, presenting issues, costs, coverage and alignment of goals. You will set up regular appointments, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Appointments may start more often and then taper off over time. While there are types of therapy that are specifically short-term such as solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), many others can be longer-term and may ebb and flow in frequency. At the core of all talk therapy is the therapeutic relationship or plainly said, the relationship you have with your therapist. This is the highest predictor of reaching your goals in therapy (1). Talk therapy may be used to talk about general issues and triggers that affect your day-to-day or it may be used to support the treatment of certain events, topics or transitions in life, such as
Top 4 reasons why talk therapy is for you.
1. Mental Health is Health.
While we have been led to believe that to get support for your mental health you should be ill or be having a mental health issue. However, what we know is that our mental health is health. Doctors encourage us to go to the gym and exercise regularly to ensure we are fit and healthy. The same can be said about regularly getting your teeth cleaned and checked at the dentist, or following the dentist’s recommendation to brush 2-3 times a day. Talk therapy when used regularly and proactively can prevent mental health issues or minimize their severity.
2. Talk Therapy is Preventative Medicine.
Our minds and bodies are connected. Many of the mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and depression we experience can be linked to physical issues. If we are meeting with a therapist regularly we may be able to catch the symptoms of other mental or physical health concerns.
3. Confidentiality.
Talk therapy is confidential and allows you to talk through your concerns, presenting issues and past circumstances with someone who is unbiased, trustworthy and provides complete confidentiality. Therapists are obligated by ethical duty to maintain confidentiality, with few exceptions. Therapists take this responsibility seriously. Codes of ethics can be found through the various regulatory bodies.
4. Insight.
Talk therapy can provide you with insight into what is happening to you. Provide you with coping strategies, as well as healing. This will likely support your growth and have positive impacts on your life and lived experiences. The insights may help reduce the long-term impact of mental illness (2).
Talk therapy can help you with dealing with life and improve your lived experience and it is easier than ever to get support.
If you want to find a good fit therapist or counsellor, search our database of counsellors and book a session or contact the clinic directly at 1 833 283 6550 to let us help you find your match.
References:
- Baier, A. L., Kline, A. C., & Feeny, N. C. (2020). Therapeutic alliance as a mediator of change: A systematic review and evaluation of research. Clinical Psychology Review, 82(1), 101921. https ://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr. 2020.101921
- Cuijpers P. Targets and outcomes of psychotherapies for mental disorders: an overview. World Psychiatry. 2019 Oct;18(3):276-285. doi: 10.1002/wps.20661. PMID: 31496102; PMCID: PMC6732705.