This week, I did something for me. I went back to therapy for the first time in over two years.
I’d been considering it for awhile, and after experiencing a mental health crisis last month, I finally decided to just do it.
I had two sessions this week: first with a psychiatrist to talk about medication management, second with a therapist that I’ll be seeing weekly. Just going to those first two sessions and allowing myself to be vulnerable and honest with my mental health professionals felt so good. It feels like a step in the right direction, a breath of fresh air after years of trudging through the dark trying to cope by myself.
For the first time in a long time, I’m actually taking tangible steps toward prioritizing my mental health.
I’ve been talking about mental health and self-care for so long while working at 1N5, constantly encouraging others to seek treatment for mental illness all while not truly practicing what I preach. Before this week, I’d been in and out of therapy for years but hadn’t been back since spring of 2019. I’ve thought deeply about going again, and I’ve spent hours researching therapists within my network but just haven’t committed to any of them until now. I’ve been so nervous to go back for fear that I wouldn’t like my therapist and would have to start my search all over again. Luckily, even after one session I feel a strong connection with both my new psychiatrist and therapist.
After just one session each, I also feel noticeably better. I didn’t realize how much I’d been internalizing and not sharing with others, so just being able to talk to an objective third-party person has made a world of change. I’m already looking forward to my next sessions!
If you’re thinking about going back to therapy but don’t know if now is the right time, take this as your sign to just go for it.
As always, stay safe + stay healthy.
Xo,
Kayla W