We all talk about going to therapy. Having to go to therapy can mean going to an in-person session with a therapist in their office or finding a quiet place where you feel safe and comfortable to log on to a secured link for a virtual visit. But what we may or may not talk about is taking therapy.
It is equally as important to the process of working on our mental health to not only show up for therapy but to take what is learned in therapy with us. The therapeutic process involves building a relationship in which you feel comfortable sharing some of the most uncomfortable aspects of your life or yourself. This can take time, but during this process, there is a lot to be gained as well. The act of speaking your fears, concerns, and troubles aloud allows you to acknowledge them and begin the working phase of therapy.
This phase is what the name implies, work. But remember, you sought therapy because you wanted to improve how you are feeling. So, this requires you to be open to change. If everything in your life, including you, remain the same you will have the same problems. This seems simple, but taking the insight gained in therapy back into our day-to-day lives requires us to be mindful and to make new or different choices. This is what it means to take therapy. Taking therapy into each minute of your day and especially into those difficult moments when change is needed the most, it may be work but it may also be fun and restorative! These changes can lead to relief, more happiness, less stress, and an improved outlook on life. Taking therapy is an investment in your well-being and your future.
The first step is going to therapy, the next step is taking what you learn there back out into the world with you.
Written by April Daniel
