3 Reasons We Do Not Seek Counseling, Therapy, or Psychotherapy
The elephant in the Room: Counseling, therapy, and psychotherapy are the not most exciting and fun uses of our time, causing major barriers to seeking needed help.
Let’s address the elephant in the room, counseling is not the most fun activity in the world. Who really wants to sit with a stranger, talk about the most challenging parts of our life, and be in a place where you may cry? I get it. I am a therapist (practicing for the past 7 years) and there have been many times when I resisted getting help for myself because of the time to find a therapist and invest in my healing process, the cost of therapy, and the stigma surrounding seeking help through therapy (concerned what people “might think”). The worst part of these barriers is that I perceived them to be impassable, not able to travel through them and start thriving in myself, my marriage, and my children.
Good, effective therapy can be the most transformative choice a person can make in their life. Unfortunately, the previously mentioned barriers halt the transformative process. The good news is while these barriers are legitimate, they should not be seen as impassable but as an opportunity to demonstrate your investment into your value. Let us break these down.
Time
Healing trauma, anxiety, and relationships are not convenient since therapy takes time and commitment. Dr. Peter Levine says in his book Waking the Tiger, “Transforming trauma isn’t a mechanical ritual that traumatized people can perform and then sit back and complacently expect results. There is no magic pill. Transformation requires a willingness to challenge your basic beliefs about who you are” (Page 211).
Seeking true, authentic healing is a deep process of reconciliation and change within oneself. This does not happen overnight but takes time and a willingness to show up for yourself again and again. Investing time in your healing process works.
2. Cost
Financial resources are a very real barrier for people who may want to seek counseling, therapy, or psychotherapy. Unfortunately, many therapists who have furthered their training in the therapeutic field do not come cheap and often do not accept insurance. While there are many reasons for this (you can see my reasons here), there are also many creative and obtainable ways people can seek quality treatment despite financial barriers.
The first would be to ask the therapist you are interested in if they offer a sliding scale of reduced rates for sessions. The second is to look into alternative options for payment such as a Flexible Spending Account or a Health Savings Account. Lastly, ask your insurance if they reimburse for out-of-network therapy appointments. This may require a superbill from your therapist (a receipt of services) so make sure to double-check with your insurance provider.
3. Stigma
There is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health and mental health treatment in the United States. The American Psychiatric Association identifies three types of stigma surrounding mental health:
Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others have about mental illness. An example may look like this, “People with mental illness are dangerous, incompetent, to blame for their disorder, unpredictable.”
Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes, including internalized shame, that people with mental illness have about their own condition. This may look like negative thought processes such as, “I am crazy if I ask for help, I am not worthy of good health.”
Institutional stigma, is more systemic, involving policies of the government and private organizations that intentionally or unintentionally limit opportunities for people with mental illness. Examples include lower funding for mental illness research or fewer mental health services relative to other health care.
The fear of how one may be treated by family, friends, jobs, or even how you may view yourself is a massive barrier to people getting the help they need. The reality is mental health is health and something that desperately needs to be destigmatized. One way you may be able to do this is by surrounding yourself with supportive people who value and encourage your overall health journey.
While there are many people and institutions doing so you can take a step right now by pushing past the stigma, and reaching out for help.
Now What?
There are many more barriers people may experience to accessing therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy in Long Beach, CA. One way I try to reduce barriers is by offering online or phone appointments to reduce the need of commuting in the greater Los Angeles Area. Another way I try to remove barriers is by offering a free 15-minute consultation to address individual reasons potential clients may still not be investing in their healing.
Whatever the barriers are, healing relationships, trauma, anxiety, etc. are investments. These things do not come easy and often it does come at a cost. But, if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired that cost just might be worth it.
Do you have 15 minutes today to invest in yourself that will cost you nothing? If you are ready to start your healing, transformative journey give me a call today at 562-353-7136 for a free 15-minute consultation. I would be happy to help in your healing journey from dysfunctional anxiety, panic attacks, relationship issues, and the perinatal/postpartum journey.
