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Therapists need therapy too
Therapists need therapy, too, and there should be no shame in that
It is often considered weird when therapists seek the help of other therapists to deal with specific issues they might have. I thus, ask : Why is it not weird when one doctor seeks the help of another doctor to get a consultation or get a diagnosis for his condition?
I am currently a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology and right before COVID-19 started in full-swing, I was going through a lot. I was making a transition from my Master’s program to PhD, dealing with a heartbreak, and feeling the uncertainty of how thing might unfold with COVID.
At the end, I decided that therapy would be beneficial. At the same time, a tiny voice inside me said, “What would the society say?” Too many times, I give up on things for the fear and uncertainty of the consequences is huge in my head. A part of the reason why I might give society so much importance you may ask would be my upbringing in India, known for its collectivism. I have grown up knowing and understanding how each individual is connected to the society it belongs to, and how that can influence and impact you in so many drastic ways.
Lately, I have started exploring ventures and discovering opportunities without giving a care of what the society has to say. After all, I am getting just one life, and if I have to live in fear of what others might think of me, then am I even living up to my fullest potential?
Because I felt so caught up with school and work, I was bottling up my emotions without even knowing I needed to vent out. Sometimes, it becomes easy to not be open about your emotions than be open and misunderstood or judged. My friends always label me as the problem solver, the one who has got everything together, but do I? There is so much internal pressure which comes with managing your own emotions, being competent at having it all together, but why?
Therapists sometimes need therapy, too, and there should be no shame in that.
So, the day came and booked my first virtual appointment. It was scary at first thinking that I might not know what to say. It is funny how things seems so different when you are on the other side of the chair. I have been on…
