By Melice Mitchell, CYW, RSW, MSW

Edited by Bethany Spiers, B. Kin, R. Kin, Clinical Director

Therapy makes life better. “Then why I am struggling with the thought of going to therapy?”

You’ve been contemplating going to therapy for months. You want to improve stressful situations in your life. You want to feel better, while your usual solutions are becoming less and less effective. You’ve been taking care of yourself, but now you feel you need more support. You want a change, but you aren’t sure where to begin.

If you have been thinking about therapy as a tool, here are some behind-the-scene tips to start your therapy journey.

1. First, it is completely okay to not feel ready to begin therapy.

That’s because therapy is a new experience! As popular as mental wellness has become, seeking help from a therapist is a relatively foreign concept. Trying new things can create fear of the unknown, and it’s normal to not feel ready for a new experience. Do you remember the first time you rode a bike without training wheels? It is likely that moments before your teacher let you go you were consumed by fear. Will I fall? How will I stop? These racing thoughts likely infiltrated your mind until you realized that all was well, and you were cycling along just fine. Ready is not a feeling, ready is a decision.

2. Find a therapist who offers a free consultation.

Deciding to start therapy can feel overwhelming, so it is important to find a therapist that you really connect with and feel safe speaking openly to. A free consultation allows you to build a foundation of trust. It provides the opportunity to ask questions about fees, services and wait times. It also allows you to gain insight into that therapist’s approach, personality, and whether or not you feel comfortable chatting with them. Finding a therapist is like finding your favourite coffee shop - you need to try a few places before finding your spot!

3. Find a therapist who offers the type of support you are looking for.

Finding your right fit is important to ensure you get out of therapy what you are looking for. You may be looking for a therapist who offers tools! Or maybe you’re looking for a therapist who creates space for you to unpack feelings. Before committing to a therapist, use free consultations to gather information about the type of support that therapist provides best.

4. Determine if you are ready to begin therapy.

Are you someone that has told yourself that the struggles you are facing are not “bad enough” to seek therapeutic support? Or maybe you are the type of person that has continuously told yourself that you are not ready to book in with a therapist. Starting therapy can be intimidating, so determining your readiness is important.

You may feel ready to begin therapy if:

• You want to feel better.

• You are trying to solve a problem or situation in your life.

• You want someone to hold you accountable to your mental wellness goals.

• You are looking for step-by-step guidance.

• You are seeking a space and person to speak freely and openly to about what you are going through.

There are just a few tips to help you begin your therapy journey, and we hope you found them helpful. Ultimately, contemplating, researching, and thinking about booking your first session is a HUGE step! We look forward to meeting you in your free consultation.