Written by: Thomas Goenczi, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We kind of know when the right time is, sometimes we’re sort of ready for it, but can we ever be certain? Making the decision on when to see a counsellor is slightly different from going to see a doctor. Typically, when you see an MD, it is usually because something has transpired with your health that needs immediate attention. Even though there has been traction with the importance of mental health in the general mainstream, it is difficult to gauge when one should seek help. Making the decision of seeking mental health isn’t as easy as waking up one day and looking in the mirror, and saying “Hmm today seems like a good day to get my head checked out.” There is a process to making that choice. Sometimes the route to making that decision is almost instantaneous, but sometimes that decision is comprised of an arduous internal civil war. However, there are four common considerations one can make.
Rationality
The first is through rationality. At times, what concludes our inner debate of whether or not we should go to counselling is being able to build up a case cognitively to justify it. Making the decision to go to therapy is no small feat. Sometimes the mental gymnastics we perform would win us a gold medal at the Rationality Olympics. “I don’t have time,” “My issues aren’t big enough,” “Once I start working on myself, I’ll have to commit to changing,” and “I’m just not ready yet” have all been deployed successfully at one point in time. It is why strictly using rationality to decide to come to therapy is often not enough, especially if one wants it to be successful.
Physical Health
A second element one can reflect on when deciding to come to therapy is checking in with your physical health. Questions to ask yourself: Is my body functioning to a level where I am capable of attaining my goals? Are there nagging injuries that have caused me to doubt my body? Am I providing my body with the nourishment it needs? Undoubtedly, we all at some point in our lives lose trust in our bodies, whether it’s through injury, sickness, etc. This ultimately causes the fracture between mind and body to deepen. Nevertheless, if we begin to notice that our mind is becoming resentful toward our body it may be a good indicator to help find ways to bridge that gap.
Reflecting on Relationships
One other way to identify if it may be time for counselling is to reflect on your relationships. If your partner, friends, or colleagues are barking at how negative you’ve been lately, it may be time to reflect on those insights. For better or worse, people are generally pretty good at picking out your faults. Additionally, if you find yourself isolating from others, or it’s becoming a chore to maintain your connections in a healthy manner, then it may be beneficial to see how you can work to bring some life back into those relationships again.
Intuition
Lastly, is intuition. Intuition is a weird one, even now we still don’t really understand how it works. Yet, we get this ineffable message within our mind and body awareness that lets us know something is up. This hunch is instinctive in nature and precludes conscious reasoning. Sometimes intuition is the first to ring the alarm when something is out of whack. However, it is often pushed out by rationalization. It is vital to check in with this element when making a sound decision. Sometimes it's the sole consideration needed to follow through with an act.
Conclusion
There is no right or wrong answer to the question of “when should I go to therapy”, and I hazard to say it should even be seen through this perspective. Rather, it should be evaluated on whether it makes sense or not for you right now. If you consciously deliberate the four elements suggested above, it should render you a decision you can have confidence in, and it just makes sense. Just like it makes sense to go see a doctor when you’re sick, it should make sense to go seek help for your mental health.
Thomas Goenczi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Thomas Goenczi, is a veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy, serving for seven years. After leaving the military Thomas pursued his Master of Counselling (Psychology). He now is a clinical counsellor providing his service through his private practice – Well Then Therapy. Thomas focuses on helping his clients and readers uncovering their unconscious roots of their mental struggles and reinfusing there lives with meaning. Thomas has recently reconnected with the military community with the mission of fostering an acceptance towards mental health. He is currently contributor to the Naval Newspaper. Lastly, he has a keen interest in psychoanalytic work, working with one's will, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
