🌟 How therapy can help you be a better human

Hey Flawsome Human,

Happy Wednesday! Hope you’re having a great fall so far. I’m here for the pumpkin spice everything & cozy sweaters.

Let’s talk therapists this week (this is where I know I’m going to lose some of you, but just hear me out).

I used to roll my eyes when someone brought up the word, but it has actually significantly improved my life. I want to share a few ways in which therapy can help you (even when you ‘don’t need it’).

🚫WHY THERAPY DOESN’T SUCK🚫

Think of therapy like an oil change… but for your brain.

1️⃣ You become more self-aware

Therapy helps you look at your thoughts and feelings. By talking with someone who understands, you can learn more about yourself, which helps you make better choices.

We live in a over-stimulated world and run on autopilot most of the time. By stopping & reflecting with a professional, you’d be surprised how much you can learn.

2️⃣ You have better relationships

When you understand yourself better, you can communicate more effectively with others. Therapy can help you build healthier and happier relationships with family, friends, and even partners.

Think of it also as a preventative measure; you’re learning how to handle conflict and work through it in a healthy way, rather than letting it pile up & lead to an explosion (we’ve all had those, you know the ones).

3️⃣ You learn healthy coping skills

Life can be tough, but therapy teaches you ways to deal with stress and all of the nonsense that comes up. Whether you’re feeling anxious or dealing with difficult times, a therapist can give you tools to handle it better.

I’ve been guilty of using things like social media, alcohol, and food to cope with negative emotions. Since working with a therapist, I’ve learned healthier ways to manage those not-so-pleasant feelings that come up.

4️⃣ You can handle more, emotionally

When you’re self-aware, know how to regulate your emotions, and can communicate effectively, you are built to handle a lot more than someone who isn’t. You will have the resiliency to deal with issues that come up in your life, and won’t let it be the driver. You’ll have the tools and resources to handle things that come up.

I used to shut down & go into hermit mode whenever something bad happened to me, and I let it takeover. It’s easy to let that happen — but it doesn’t do us any good.

5️⃣ You become more fulfilled/satisfied 

Therapy can lead to a more fulfilling life for so many reasons. You get to release anything that may be weighing on you and better understand what matters to you in your life. You can get clarity around your goals and feel more connected to yourself.

It’s pretty cool to get to know who you REALLY are.

…Needing therapy, or going to therapy, doesn’t make you weak, or broken, or whatever else you might think.

I believe the strongest people integrate therapy into their lives. You can start at any point, it’s never too late.

I’ve had 5 therapists. The first 3 didn’t work out. It took time to find one that worked for me — which is totally normal.

More on my experiences with therapy & how I navigated it on my podcast this week:

Watch on Youtube

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

See you next week. 😊

Stay Flawsome,

-Erica