How Does Therapy Help?

Modern life presents many challenges. Whether it’s poor work-life balance, mounting debt, or a failing relationship, most of us have a couple of problems that keep us up at night. It’s no surprise that many Americans struggle with mental health issues! According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 20% of American adults live with some form of mental illness.

Poor mental health is more than just feeling down. From physical wellness to professional success, your mental health impacts every aspect of your life. While struggling is a normal part of life, you should seek therapy if your thoughts and feelings are impairing you from living the life you want. . How does therapy help? In this post, I’ll explain what therapy is and how it can help you develop a life worth living.

What is Therapy?

Therapy is far more than just venting to a stranger. Also known as talk therapy, psychotherapy, or counseling, therapy uses dialogue and evidence-based psychological techniques to treat a variety of mental health disorders.

OK, so how can therapy help? During therapy sessions, your therapist will work with you to identify the thoughts and behaviors that undermine your mental health. Together, the two of you will develop a treatment plan to help you work through these issues. This can lead to changes that result in a healthier, more fulfilling life.

How Does Therapy Help Improve Your Life?

Without a healthy mind, achieving goals and finding satisfaction in our personal and work lives is impossible. Therapy will help you overcome the roadblocks you’re facing on the path to durable wellbeing. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 75% of people who enter therapy make positive changes to their lives within six months of treatment.

Therapy has a proven track record of delivering long-lasting life changes because it gets to the roots of issues. How else can therapy help improve your life? Here are five other ways that therapy can create significant positive change::

Boosts Physical Health

How does therapy help enhance your life? It can help you live more healthily. Psychological disorders like depression and anxiety can increase your risk of developing heart disease, as well as many other health conditions. A study published by the journal Circulation found that interventions that improve mental health were shown to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.

Develops Healthier Behavior Patterns

Your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are all linked. Negative thoughts and emotions lead to unhealthy behaviors, that in turn canresult in more psychological problems. Using techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), your therapist will help you identify negative thoughts and replace them with more realistic ones. This change results in better behaviors, and a more adaptive approach to life overall.

Develops Resilience

How does therapy help you develop resilience? In addition to finding and solving problems, therapy also teaches you lifelong coping skills. These new skills will help you healthily deal with life’s curveballs, empowering you to overcome future challenges. Studies have shown that this resilience can reduce the risk of psychological disorders returning.

Improves Relationships

Humans are social beings, so having healthy relationships is important for living a life worth living. How can therapy help improve relationships? Therapists employ clinically-proven modalities like psychodynamic therapy to uncover the problems in your relationship dynamic. This will help you change how you interact with others, and restore the connection and love in your relationships.

Increases Self-Confidence

Self-doubt can get in the way of reaching your full potential. Confidence gives you the inner strength to build the life that you want. How does therapy help build confidence? Psychotherapy techniques can help you realize your true worth. Your therapist will work with you to overcome distortions that prevent you from developing your self-worth.

Live the Life You Want With Erik Anderson Therapy

Psychological disorders go far beyond having a bad mood. Whether you’re troubled by health, relationships, or career development, your mental state influences all parts of your life. Therapy offers a clinically proven resource to enhance your mental health. Working with a therapist will not only help you overcome immediate obstacles–it’ll also give you the clarity, willpower, and self-worth to build the life you’ve always wanted.

If you have personal struggles or relationship problems, we can work together online or in person at my Los Angeles practice to develop an effective solution for your problems. I combine different psychotherapy approaches to create a unique treatment plan for every client. Contact me now to book a consultation and take the first step to build a better life.

FAQs

Can Therapy Help With Anxiety?

Whether you have unrelenting worries or panic attacks, therapy can be very effective for all types of anxiety disorders. How can therapy help with anxiety problems? Therapy will enable you to uncover the underlying causes of your worries, teach you to relax, and develop coping skills to overcome your fears.

Does Therapy Change Your Personality?

A few weeks of therapy can make you a happier and more emotionally stable person. In a study published by Psychological Bulletin, 24 weeks of psychotherapy were shown to reduce neuroticism and increase extroversion. How does therapy help you become less neurotic? Practicing more balanced thoughts and learning new coping skills will make you develop a positive attitude.

How Quickly Does Therapy Work?

The amount of time it takes for therapy to work will depend on your specific condition and the type of treatment you’re undergoing. On average, most people who attend regular therapy sessions should notice an improvement in their condition within 12 weeks.

Is Therapy Difficult?

During therapy, you will share your deepest thoughts and most painful experiences with a stranger. In addition to this, you will also need to rewire your brain to gain a new perspective on life. So yes, therapy can be uncomfortable. But if you’re willing to do the hard work, therapy can help you to build the life you want.

How Do I Know If I Need Therapy?

All of us will face struggles at some point in our lives. The severity of the problem and the way you handle it will determine if you need help. If the problem consumes at least one hour of your time every day or impacts multiple aspects of your life, you should get professional help to resolve the issue.