I usually have my therapy appointments Monday or Thursday, after work. There is some deviation in my schedule, but my preferred time is Thursday evenings. I know many people like to dismiss psychotherapy as some kind of hocus-pocus, or envision it like some pre-scandal Woody Allen movie, and the people in therapy either as insane or as city intellectuals who also happen to be snobs. Therapy is sometimes viewed as a status symbol and frowned upon. But psychotherapy is none of these. It is a useful tool to get better. There are a variety of therapy options, and depending on what you struggle with, one or the other type of therapy might be more beneficial for you. I have had CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) at one point, and analytical therapy at another point in my life.
Therapy these days is a lot more accessible and affordable than one would think. For example, online options have become more common, partly as a legacy of COVID lock downs. (Please, please, please think twice, no three times before you sign up for Better Help. I mean I know a lot of podcasts still advertise them, but then Established Titles was all over YouTube, and then it turned out to be a total misrepresentation of how noble titles work in Scotland. So please do your research before you give your credit card number to anyone. You might even want to try Revolut or Wise or something for that. No, I’m not sponsored, just rambling here.)
I have switched to exclusively online therapy after COVID, and I really enjoy the service I a receiving from this company. If you are looking for a therapist, or are ready to try therapy or professional coaching, and would like to know more about your options, especially in Central/Eastern Europe, just leave a comment here or on Facebook, or drop me a message on Messenger or WhatsApp. I’m not affiliated with any of the providers, but there is a pass forward credit opportunity at the provider I’m using. (Also on Revolut, but whatever.)
One of the important things about therapy is that therapist shopping is a legit thing. I have had one to four sessions with a number of therapists every time I started again, but eventually I found the therapist that I could work with. It is okay to switch if you feel like it is not working. There was this one lady, with stellar reviews, lots of experience, that made me feel so uneasy before the second session that I just cancelled and started looking for a different psychologist. It wasn’t because she wasn’t qualified, or a good professional. On the contrary, I am sure she was, and that she is the perfect match…. for someone else. And that’s the secret. We just need to find the therapist with whom that relationship of trust can be developed.
I think we don’t talk enough about our experience with therapy, and how it helped us. It’s time to demystify the therapy process. It’s okay to share what you feel comfortable with without trying to be a therapist to others. It’s okay to apply things we learn in therapy in our every day life–like I sometimes do as a leader at work and church. It’s even okay to joke about our experiences!
If you feel like you are experiencing a mental health crisis, or are actively suicidal please seek help. In Hungary call 116-123 to talk to someone or 112 for immediate help, or visit the nearest SBO (ER).
In the UK you can call the Samaritans at 116-123 24 hours a day, or the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 0800 689 5652 between 6 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.
In the US dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Lifeline Australia is available at 13-11-14.
So This Woman 