Therapy: the Greatest Form of Self-love!
Happy New Year, my friends! May this year bring glad tidings, joy, and healing to your life! I'm Massoma Alam Chohan, and I am excited to join the magazine writing team. I am a Business Psychologist, TEDx Speaker, and the author of "Take Your Lunch Break: Helpful Tips for Relieving Work-Related Stress." My TEDx talk is titled "Go Spaghetti: Overcoming Anxiety." I offer coaching services and corporate presentations around stress management and burnout. I am a huge mental health advocate and aim to end the stigma associated with it.
I hope you find these articles helpful and informative. However, I want to give a disclaimer, these articles are meant to be for educational purposes only and are NOT a replacement for medical help. I am not a mental health professional, so please consult one if you have any questions or concerns. These pieces will be based on my personal experience, research, and interviews with other professionals over the past ten years. So let's get into it!
New Year, New You is all the buzz this month. How exactly do you do that, though? For starters, prioritize self-care, and do you know the best kind of self-care? Therapy. Hands down, the best way to take care of your mental health and show self-love other than eating healthy and exercising is to see a therapist!
I was a skeptic at first when I started therapy. I felt I didn't need a therapist because I could talk to my friends and family--for free. However, I realized that my friends and family do not have the years of education and training that mental health professionals do, nor are they "non-judgmental." I couldn't open up fully and honestly, even with people with whom I felt safe and comfortable. Therapists are great because you can tell them anything and everything! You can let out your deepest darkest secrets, which will remain confidential. They don't judge (and if they do, who cares?), are great listeners, and are highly trained. The key is to find a therapist you are comfortable with whom you have a connection.
So whether you are dealing with burnout and stress at work or other personal life issues, there are resources to help you feel better and live the life you want. All you have to do is try.
There are excellent benefits of therapy. Over the years, I've explored and experimented with treatment, including talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and even hypnosis. I've experienced an overall increase in mental wellness through all these sessions. These evidence-based and scientifically proven methods are proven to improve an individual's mental health. Therapy can also enhance the following:
Communication
Self-esteem
Expression of emotions such as anger.
Reduce self-deprecating behaviors and thoughts
Gain insight into our behaviors
Helps to cope with anxiety and depression
+ more
But after years of therapy, what I've found to be most helpful is that through these sessions, you develop coping skills and build a toolbox to tackle life's challenges.
Finding a therapist can be difficult, and remember, you can always change your therapist if you don't click. Finding someone you feel comfortable with and can open up to is essential. Try psychologytoday.com to find a therapist or psychiatrist. I also recommend the BetterHelp app, where you can text your therapist anytime and have virtual sessions. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start your healing journey!
Until next time, take care of yourself!
