You notice that you are not happy. Something isn’t right. You don’t know what to do. Therapy has always been something you’ve thought about. Is it stupid? Is it real? Can talking really help? Below are 5 ideas to keep therapy going from the beginning through the end.
Although there may be a sharp increase in your getting better there’s always one thing that you have to be weary of….
The Therapy Burnout.
As the weeks have passed I have noticed a trend – The new year has begun and the commitment to health and wellness has spiked. This isn’t just a gym phenomenon!
So to help with the new year interest and your desire to commit to change below are a few steps to keep you going.
1) Remember Your Initial Decision to Reach Out.
You have the best of intentions and decided to start getting focused. The therapist is in place. You begin sessions. Four weeks later you aren’t so sure anymore. Is it you? Is it the therapist? It’s neither. The loss of that initial feeling has gone away.
Don’t ever let that escape. You have to find a way to remind yourself why you want to change. Human behavior is cyclical. Our brains process the world in a way that creates comfort. It isn’t your fault you resist discomfort. You have an actual organ fighting you.
Find simple ways to remind yourself that you don’t like what your current comfort provides. You made the decision to find answers. It starts with the action of reminding.
2) Write Yourself a Letter for Each Month Going Forward.
Each month, as you begin to make progress you can forget the reason for your choice to begin with. If you take the time (1-2 hours of your entire life) to write one letter for each of the next 3-6 months you have a built in reminder to keep you motivated. Have someone hold on to them. Better yet – let your therapist hold on to them and they can give them to you on a mutually agreed upon date.
There’s nothing better than hearing your own voice and feeling your own past to remind you what needs to get done in the present.
3) Get a Trainer.
Noooooo, not a gym trainer. This is an app on your phone, a life coach, a commitment to learn a new skill. Anything new that requires practice and commitment. Therapy never works when you depend on only one hour a week to change your life. You have to apply yourself.
Overcome the “is this working” blues by giving yourself skills to practice and apply regularly. Heck, it’ll even give you something to talk about in each therapeutic session.
4) The More Support You Consume the Better You Will Feel
When you are closed off to support, you fear being hurt or made fun of. You don’t want to be perceived as weak or ignorant. This is the time to finally listen and witness positive actions and words coming your way.
Make a list of positive events and put it somewhere you can find. You may think this is stupid, but what happens 30 days after adding one moment at a time is astonishing. You actually get to have happy memories instead of pain.
5) If You Hate Meditation, Don’t Meditate.
So many people say that meditation is key. You hate it. So don’t do it! There’s nothing wrong with hating meditation. There is something wrong with not putting some type of repetitive positive action in its place. It has to be a form of self care. So fine, don’t do meditation.
Do something positive, repeatedly.
These may seem like simple, easy ideas. You may believe that these will not help but beginning therapy is all about re-framing your life and problem solving. You have to find ways to check facts and see life outside of yourself.
If you do these things and stick to the intial focus to get your life in a positive direction, then why not? You’d be amazed by the amount of progress you can make. It only takes an extra 10 minutes of your day.
