How Therapy in Ann Arbor, MI Empowers Personal Growth

As a therapist, I may be biased, but I genuinely believe we can all benefit from therapy, no matter where we are in life! Below are ten benefits of therapy:

Therapy can offer clarity when you’re uncertain of the best way forward.

Life is full of transitions and pivots and rarely goes entirely according to plan. Considering divorce or ending a long-term relationship (or recovering from the loss of one), starting a new job or considering a career change, moving to a new area, having children, and children leaving for college are all times of transition in life. During these times, you may find yourself contemplating “what’s next?” Therapy can help you to regroup, find your footing, and help decide which direction is right for you in the next chapter.

Therapy can help you lean into growth in the aftermath of a loss.

Whether you've chosen to end something (marriage, relationship, friendship, or job) or the universe decided for you, healing from a loss is never easy. The task becomes answering three questions: What’s lost? What’s left? and What’s possible? Early on, it can be hard to see beyond what’s lost, but in time, you also start to see what’s left in the aftermath of a loss, and what’s possible.

Therapy can help you to let go of comparison.

Comparison is the thief of joy. When we compare ourselves to others, compare ourselves to what we *should* be doing, and compare ourselves against arbitrary expectations that society places on us, we inevitably fall short, which can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, inadequacy, and envy. But It’s liberating when you stop comparing and decide to live a life that works for you, not others, and a life that is aligned with your values. Therapy can help you uncover what those values are and how to live life in alignment.

Therapy can help you to let go of the beliefs and fears holding you back.

"The biggest risk is not risking." - Sara Blakely

But to be clear, I’m talking calculated risks here, not impulsively buying a new car with your credit card and hoping your end-of-year bonus will cover it. How many times have you said “I could never do that!” Why not? Because it’s a risk? Because it would take you out of your comfort zone? Because you’re afraid? Therapy can provide the confidence boost you need to step out of your comfort zone and uncover your potential.

Therapy can help you to Identify triggers and heal them.

Old wounds create triggers that we’re not always aware of. The path toward self-awareness allows you to be more present and mindful of thoughts, feelings, and reactions in response to any given situation. If we’re not aware of what causes us to feel certain ways, it’s harder for us to understand and manage our own reactions. And when we understand ourselves better, we understand others better. And when we understand others better, that can lead to more connection in our relationships with partners, family, friends, children, coworkers, employees, etc.

EMDR therapy is a wonderful approach that can offer rapid results for healing our stuck points and triggers.

Therapy can help you to communicate your needs in a way that gets them met.

You often feel pulled in too many directions. Overworking, overcommitting in your free time, taking care of the family, the pets, the household. In an effort to care for others, you place your own needs on the back burner in the service of others. Over time, you become disconnected from your own needs or resentful of others because your needs are not being met. But it’s as if you forgot how to ask for them or how to put your needs first. What would it be like to start putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others? Therapy is a great start by offering you one hour per week that you get to focus on you.

Therapy can you create better work-life balance.

Have you ever felt like you work too much? Have you ever wondered why? Do you feel like you don’t work as hard as your colleagues? Do you tell yourself that you have to work hard for your money or to deserve it? Therapy can help you uncover motivations in or outside of your conscious awareness.

Therapy can offer accountability.

Humans are constantly growing and evolving. Part of that is setting goals for ourselves. But what happens when you set BIG goals for yourself and don’t achieve them in the timeframe you expected? You beat yourself up and you end up stuck. BIG goals are great, but it’s helpful to break them down into smaller ones.  Therapy can help you do that. And checking in with your therapist at regular intervals (typically weekly or biweekly) can offer accountability, keep track of your progress, and identify what’s holding you back or getting in the way of your success.

Therapy can treat the mind and the body.

Mental health issues don’t just impact our minds, they impact our whole body. They can throw off sleeping patterns, which can impact energy levels and create changes in appetite, which can lead to weight gain or loss. Therapy can help treat the mental health symptoms, and in turn, reduce the negative impact on your overall health.

And the biggest benefit? All these benefits don’t stop when you stop going to therapy!  

The benefits of therapy aren’t limited to that 50-minute session each week. Throughout the week, you continue to do the work between sessions. And after you’ve accomplished your goals and move on from therapy, the skills you learned will continue to help you for years to come as you deal with the stress of life. Therapy may seem like a big financial investment in the short-term, but it should also be considered a long-term investment on your emotional health and well-being. 

LOOKING FOR A THERApist IN ANN ARBOR, MI?

Hi, I’m Nikki. A graduate of the University of Michigan School of Social Work and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 17+ years of experience. In my online therapy practice, I support adults through life’s tough transitions, traumas, losses, and other adversities. Reach out to me to schedule your FREE 15-minute phone consultation.