This first post is for anyone who is thinking about seeking therapy.

Deciding to go for therapy means you are committed to investing in yourself.  Lets face it you see a doctor or dentist and even a chiropodist for your physical wellbeing, so it makes sense to see a therapist for your mental well-being.

Feeling motivated to seek help means you have a good chance of recovery from whatever is making you stuck at the moment. It also means you will be committed to the changes that are required to achieve your goals.  All you need is a little help deciding what those changes should be.

It is a myth that counselling is only for people with serious emotional problems.  Almost everyone can benefit from therapy.  It can develop your mind body and spirit, strengthen your relationships and enhance your self-esteem.

When you do decide to go for therapy the first step is to find a therapy approach you will be comfortable with.  Some people are unaware of the many different styles of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Person Centred Counselling.  It is really easy these days to check out online the different counselling approaches to find one that sounds right for you.

As a brief guide the Person Centred approach presumes the client has all the answers, the therapist serves only as a guide to help them figure these out.  The CBT therapist will use similar techniques to Person Centred such as listening intently and asking probing questions.  The goal of CBT is to help the client towards cognitive restructuring by realising it is their present unhelpful thinking styles, which are causing the problems.

Once you have done your homework on the style of therapy you want, you can then look for a suitably qualified and insured therapist who practices this approach.  This is probably the most important part of your search as this person is someone you need to feel really comfortable with, someone you will be opening up to and sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings with.  An excellent way to find someone in your area is to use the online Counselling Directory.  Therapists registered there have to prove they are fully qualified, insured and have membership with a professional body.

Deciding on someone you think suits the bill does not necessarily mean when you meet him or her face-to-face it will work for either you or them.  The first session is an assessment, which is just that, a first meeting where you will be able to assess the therapist and they you. If you feel it won’t work say so, the therapist should be able to recommend someone else who may be more suitable for you.

Once you begin therapy the benefits of collaborating with your therapist for a good outcome will help you to strip away the old negative and unhelpful ways of thinking and start focusing on a more positive way of life. Therapy can start you on the road to your goals by helping you understand why things in your life are not working, and by taking control of your mental well being, you can make sure you go on to live the best possible and most fulfilling life you can.