12 Reasons to Seek Support That Might Surprise You.
Dr Natalie Flatt Ph.D, Connect Psych Services.
Due to the stigma of the term ‘Mental Health Challenges’, many individuals feel that they require a ‘cut and dry’ set of symptoms to warrant seeing a therapist. This certainly does not need to be the case.
More often than not, we can overlook those ‘life disruptions’. Whether this be issues with self-confidence in certain situations, how to manage ‘toxic’ friends or recognising when you are projecting your own insecurities and anxiety onto others. These feeling DO affect our work performance, our social relationships and our overall sense of self. Without a level of active consciousness, these feelings, thoughts and behaviour can manifest into something more serious.
One of the main goals of therapy is to help people be the best version of themselves by enhancing self-control, emotional intelligence and building a growth mindset. Developing a sense of ourselves as an empowered and autonomous human being will allow us to be more productive at work, to have more fulfilling relationships and an overall stronger sense of self.
The importance of recognising signs within yourself or others and find ways to adapt and change when you talk to a Connect Psych practitioner. Are you ready? We are here to listen.
You crave a new perspective in life.
Do you ever get the feeling that your friends and family are ‘risk adverse’ for fear of your failure if you try something new? They want the best for you but are against your ambitions such as changing job industries or taking a overseas job opportunity? Honesty is what we require to grow and change. We can offer an unbiased perspective and an independent view to help you find fresh ideas that work for you and help you achieve your vision.
You just really need to feel listened to.
At times we can find ourselves in circumstances where we are struggling with problems we can’t talk freely to others about. It might be you’ve broken up with your partner and are grieving. Or you have moved interstate and are struggling to find a set of companions. Or perhaps the issue you are dealing with is something you feel would shame your family, such as struggling with your sexuality, financial issues due to dodgy investments or having dark thoughts. Or you feel you are constantly the ‘pseudo-therapist’ yet no one is there to listen to you. Whatever your reason, a Connect Psych practitioner is a willing ear when you need it.
You are stuck in a loop and it’s making you feel frustrated.
Sometimes in life you can feel that no matter what you do, you are stuck in a loop which doesn’t allow you to move forward. It might be that you are a ‘yes’ person to your friends and family, constantly take jobs you know will leave you feeling unsatisfied or just can’t seem to get ahead financially no matter how hard you try. We can help you through your setbacks to find out who you really are, what you want out of life and who you want to attract by getting beneath the hidden reasons of your decision making.
You just feel like nobody understands you and your needs.
Feeling misunderstood can result in a continual feeling of alienation and loneliness, leading to social isolation and lack of connection. Connect Psych practitioners can help you realise what is underling your inability to connect with others; are you suffering a fear of intimacy? Why might you be constantly surrounding yourself with people who don’t/won’t understand you?
You want to finally understand why you think, feel and act a certain way in certain situations.
While it can be easy to see others clearly, understanding ourselves is a usually a different story. The way we see ourselves is naturally biased by our own insecurities and fears, and more often than not our perception of our weaknesses outshine our strengths. Working with a Connect Psych therapist will provide clarity and is an incredible opportunity to get to know yourself.
You are in a continual state of feeling overwhelmed.
Life is not always easy. We have come to live in a fast-paced and heightened society. Perhaps you have run out of strategies for how to deal with a life that increasingly feels out of control. Perhaps you aren’t even sure exactly why you feel stressed every day, but you just know that your sense of feeling overwhelmed in different situations is increasing. Majority of individuals do not have the time, energy or problem solving skills 100% of the time. We can help you figure out the reasons behind any unexplained overwhelm along with assisting you with better decision-making capabilities to make life choices.
You can’t stop making self-defeating choices.
Have you ever felt that no matter how many times you tell yourself that you ‘won’t do that again’, when it comes to a certain damaging behaviour, you revert back to just that? There is nothing more frustrating and powerless then knowing you are making bad choices but feeling unable to cease. Whether it is choosing destructive relationships, emotional eating, destructive behaviours such as deceitfulness, like excessive drinking/substance use, overspending, or unprotected sex. Damaging behaviours are usually linked to a core belief system that we are not good enough and this is all we deserve. Connect Psych practitioners can help you not only recognise this dysfunctional belief system but find ways to identify and intervene; providing you the power to drive your life and make better decisions.
Your have trouble regulating your emotional responses.
Do you find that you are flying into a blind rage over your kids not doing what they are told? Feeling so discouraged when you were not picked to help out at your friends birthday when others did? Or becoming teary when a co-worker has your opinion quashed? When an emotional response is not matched to what has triggered it, it’s often due to suppressed emotions which are trying to surface; ready to be confronted. These big emotions are often the residue of experiences you have had in your past that you have not processed or healed. We will create a safe space for you to begin to confront and understand these unresolved emotions and experiences.
You feel like an ‘imposter’ and pretending to be someone you are not.
Being authentic can be a real challenge in a world that increasingly dictates who we should be, how we should do it, how to look and essentially how to be happy. Real happiness and life satisfaction only comes when we take the time to listen and acknowledge who we are, cease the need to ‘impress’ others, and discover our own set of values and what we are strive for. Connect Psych can assist with creating a value system to bring about a sense of realistic expectations and a value system aligned to future success.
You are tired of acting strong all the time
Saying things like, “I’m not scared of anything,” or, “I didn’t want that promotion anyway,” doesn’t necessarily mean you’re mentally strong. In fact, there is a high chance that you are not being honest and hold a level of self-doubt and fear of failure. True strength involves being brave enough to allow yourself to be less than perfect. Let Connect Psych teach you how to view failure as a steppingstone to success and trust in your ability to bounce back from setbacks.
You are ready to take responsibility for your life.
Therapy, not about blaming others or feeling sorry for yourself. It is about being personally challenged; finding clarity and building courage to ‘show up’ and take total responsibility for the choices you have made. Talking to Connect Psych will provide you power to make better choices for your future to lead a more enriched life.
You would like to explore your issues in relationships.
You just cannot seem to attract a relationship or maintain a relationship long term. Or perhaps you continually choose toxic friendships, have troubles with colleagues at work, or struggle connect with your children. We can help you identify and change your blocks to intimacy and explore suppressed emotions and blocks.
Being vulnerable is scary, but it’s often the first step on the path to growth. Therapy means being vulnerable. But it also means that you’ve recognised that you want to take every chance to be the best version of yourself and live your best possible life. And what’s braver than that?
