Blogger Lindsay Holmes recently wrote an article that caught my attention…. she said, “By now, you likely have a go-to coping mechanism for when stress and problems arise. Hopefully it’s something on the healthy side of the spectrum, such as seeking comfort from the ones you love, or getting those endorphins flowing with some exercise. But no matter what way you deal, everyone can use a little extra support in handling life’s challenges – and one way to get it is through talking with a professional.”
Here are some of her suggestions…
Therapy can help you handle emotions from problems or stressors, even if they aren’t dramatically life-altering or traumatic. According to Dr. David Spiegel, M.D., associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University, anyone should be open to seeking professional guidance when it comes to their emotional health. “We’re social creatures, fundamentally, so talking to people can be a real source of support and help,” he says. “But it won’t happen it you don’t give it a try.”
In other words, you don’t have to go through a huge life event or trauma to benefit from therapy. Talking with a professional allows you to get a sense of how you appear to other people, helps you get feedback on whatever you’re feeling and offers insight on how those emotions are affecting your everyday life.
Therapy can help you develop a strategy to handle a current hardship you may be facing. Spiegel says that speaking with a professional allows you to look at any hill you’re climbing from a new angle.
“You learn about perspective on whatever the problem is you’re struggling with,” he says. “You can see the problem without feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or sadness even though the problem is still there. In that way therapy can help you recontextualize the problem you’re dealing with in order to make a strategy to help you move forward.” huffingtonpost.com 8/7/14