Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics estimate that 20 percent of adults in the US receive some form of mental health help every year. This can come in the form of medication or in the growing number of people turning to talk therapy.
If you are looking for ways of dealing with depression, anxiety, or any other issues that cause you psychological distress, talk therapy can be the right choice. Let us look a bit closer at what it is and the benefits it can offer.
What Is Talk Therapy?
Talk therapy is sometimes called psychotherapy. It involves a person who is suffering psychological distress enrolling in sessions with a licensed psychologist, counselor, social worker, psychiatric nurse, or psychiatrist. During these sessions, the qualified professional will encourage the patient to identify their emotional distress and see what is causing it.
Once the cause is identified, talk therapy will focus on strategies to minimize the distress. Generally, talk therapy sessions last an hour and take place once a week.
There are different types of talking therapy. They include behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, humanistic therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and holistic therapy.
Benefits
This therapy has more benefits than most people realize. Here are the ones that can impact your life for the better.
Long-Lasting Effects
Engaging in talk therapy can offer positive effects that will impact your life for years to come. This is because it does not only help you deal with your current struggles. It also teaches you the tools you need to tackle future situations.
Medication is necessary for some people, but the causes of your distress might still be there when you stop the medication. With talk therapy, you are getting to the root of the problem.
Treats Physical Symptoms
Emotional distress can come with physical symptoms that medication and other treatments may not be able to resolve. Depression and anxiety can have debilitating effects and can cause insomnia, headaches, and even heart problems. Talk therapy can help ease these symptoms because it works to uncover and resolve the emotional causes.
Rewires Your Brain
Most people know that medication can change your brain, but talk therapy can also do this. Psychotherapy can change activity in the areas of the brain that control fear, emotion, and self-referential thoughts.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly good at this. It can allow you to identify negative thought patterns that affect your response to situations.
Lets You Know You Are Not Alone
Dealing with emotional issues like anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more can leave you isolated. With talk therapy, you know you have a support structure you can turn to. A therapist will be there to help you work through whatever you are dealing with at least once a week when you choose personal counseling.
Get the Help You Need
Why should you have to suffer through negative thought patterns, crippling anxiety, depression, or any other emotional distress? With talk therapy, you can receive the qualified guidance you need to uncover the causes of what you are dealing with and you can learn the tools you need to start feeling better.
At Honor Your Emotions, we are ready to offer the support you need. Contact us today to start your journey to healing.
Honor Your Emotions is a therapy practice in Dublin, CA serving the East Bay Area including Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore and Danville.
Call (925) 577-4732 today for a free consultation!
