Therapy in your 20s helps navigate major life changes, trauma, mental health struggles, and offers validation and psychological skills.
Therapy should be accessible and destigmatized, but affordability and availability remain challenges, emphasizing the need to prioritize mental health alongside physical health.
Deep dives
The Importance of Therapy in Your 20s
Therapy is a crucial resource for individuals in their 20s, as it helps navigate the major life changes and transitions of this decade. It provides a safe space to address trauma, self-sabotaging behaviors, and mental health struggles. Therapy should be accessible and destigmatized, but unfortunately, affordability and availability remain challenges. Recognizing when therapy is needed is essential, whether it's after a major life event, overwhelming stress and anxiety, unhealthy habits or behaviors, symptoms of a mental health condition, or relationship challenges. Therapy offers validation, psychological skills, and an opportunity to process emotions.
Steps to Accessing Therapy
To access therapy, start by seeing your local doctor or GP, who can provide a mental health care plan. This plan offers subsidized or discounted rates for sessions with a licensed psychologist. Online options like talk space or BetterHelp provide accessible therapy alternatives. Research directories and guides to help find the right therapist for your needs. Consider factors like experience, specialization, and location. Choose a therapist who aligns with your values and makes you feel comfortable. Finally, remember that therapy is an ongoing process and may involve trying different therapists to find the right fit.
Types of Therapy and What to Expect
There are various types of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy. CBT focuses on unhealthy thought patterns, DBT emphasizes emotional regulation, and psychodynamic therapy explores self-awareness through past experiences. Other alternative therapies include exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), and interpersonal therapy. Each therapy type has distinct approaches and goals. Expect initial sessions to involve laying groundwork and discussing specific issues. Progress and breakthroughs may take time, and regular sessions allow for ongoing growth and support.
Breaking Stigmas and Seeking Help
Seeking therapy does not imply weakness or brokenness. Mental health struggles are prevalent, and therapy is a powerful tool for personal growth and well-being. Society's stigma surrounding mental health should be challenged and overcome. Affordable and accessible therapy options exist, but it may require perseverance to find the right fit. It is essential to prioritize mental health alongside physical health, as therapy offers guidance, clarity, and strategies to navigate life's challenges.
This week we deep dive into everything there is to know about therapy in our 20’s. From identifying when you need therapy, to finding the right therapist, the different types of therapy that are available, some of the misconceptions about therapy and the details of your first session, this episode provides all the information to remove some of the mysticism and stigma behind getting some help for your mental health in your 20’s. Listen now.