I decided that I needed to do something about the fact that, as I would try to explain to my husband, that my brain feels “broken.” I can’t focus, and it’s getting harder for me to manage my day-to-day anxiety and depression.
These are facts.
So I did what I’ve been scared to do for four years: pick up the phone and make an appointment with a therapist, someone who can help me make sense of my life and work with me so I can develop coping skills and solutions to the issues that plague me.
For so long, I questioned whether I even needed to go to therapy. Wasn’t I happy? I have what most people would consider a great life. But I had to admit to myself that I need space to do some soul work. To come to terms with “stuff” from my past that has been weighing me down and preventing me from living the life I truly desire as a confident young woman and mother.
This space, of admitting to yourself that everything is not okay, is scary. It’s easy for me to second-guess myself and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought of calling and canceling the appointment just out of fear.
But I want to be free. I want to reach my full potential and I know I can’t do that if I’m still shackled with fear, anger, depression and regret. It is my hope that allowing myself space to be vulnerable, to share what’s really going on, will allow me to flourish.
I considered keeping this to myself because hey, what if it doesn’t work and I end up crazier than ever? LOL. But I know from my last post on depression that many of you are in my shoes. You’ve been plastering a smile on your face and swallowing your pain and living life with “stuff’ bottled up inside you.
So I wrote this to let you know that it’s okay to be scared, it’s okay to want to speak to a professional, it’s okay to admit that your issues are overwhelming you. It’s also okay to proactively take steps to ensure you are emotionally healthy. You are worth the investment.
Same boat, just no therapist. Only blog posts I have yet to hit publish on. Hugs, mama.
Thanks for sharing, Tara! I am so glad you took this step. I have been to therapy in the past to work through my stuff , and with the right therapist, it makes all the difference. Wishing you better days ahead as your work through your “stuff.”
Yay! Thank you so much for sharing Tara. I went to therapy for years, and actually would like to go back. I know that broken brain feeling all too well. I hope that your sessions are eye opening and reassuring, and that if you feel comfortable, you can continue to share any breakthroughs with your readers. Sometimes it just takes a few people to admit that they go to encourage someone else to go.
Tara, I am so glad you shared this, because so many women need to know that it’s ok to seek professional help to get the clarity that you need. Seeking professional help was the BEST thing that could have ever happened to me. I had been suffering with issues from my childhood for 17 years before I even knew to seek help. Looking at me on the outside you would have thought I had a perfect life (husband, kids, house, career) but I was dying inside. I appreciate you for sharing your experience and I look forward to reading more about your journey to being free.
http://www.befreeproject.com
*Turning cartwheels* Thank you for posting this!!!!! Since the death of Miss. Jessie’s Titi Branch, I’ve had a strong urge to writing something on my blog about anxiety, depression and masking it all. I haven’t built up enough nerve yet but this post certainly helps me draw closer to being more transparent. Thank you, Tara. And I hope your therapist doesn’t fall asleep during your appointment like mine did. LMAO!
i remember going to therapy after having my daughter breaking up with her dad almost flunking out of school, I felt like I was on a sinking ship. It never occurred to me to not go, someone made the suggestion and I was like “YES, yes, that’s just what I need” and I went. Then I made the suggestion to my hubby years later and he looked at me like a third eye was growing on my forehead. It wasn’t til recently when his sister passed that he really saw the benefit in it. I am soooooo glad you shared this, sometimes you need an unbiased, unattached individual to help you sort through your thoughts and feelings.
I’m glad to hear that you are going. I sought therapy, and it is one of the best things I ever I did for myself. It isn’t a cure all; it is a process. You will have to work at getting to your true self. I no longer go to therapy, but the seeds that were sown help me. It also help me make sense of my thoughts and such. My childhood was like shackles, and I continue shedding dead weight each year. Looking forward to seeing a freer you
Blessings.
Great job!! At least you’ve taken the first step. Some times it’s so hard to do the things we know will be beneficial for us in the long run. Getting the right professional to help you sort things out can work wonders. No, it may not be the answer to “fix your broken brain”…but you won’t know unless you try. Mental health is just as important as physical health! We should all have to see a therapist just like we get yearly physicals!!
Good luck and I pray the best for you on this new journey!!
After I was robbed at gunpoint in Rio I had to see a therapist because it sent me into a depression that I had never experienced. Therapy is wonderful with the right therapist and I’m so glad you are getting the help you need. BLM girls are awesome!
It takes a lot of courage to ask fro help and even more to write this and share with others that may need the same. I wish you all the best in reaching your full potential!
I believe the world would be a better place if we all had a therapist and sought counsel regularly. Here is to you taking the necessary steps to become whole. This is something to be celebrated. Kudos to you!
Kudos to you for being proactive and taking the steps to do something to help you manage your depression and anxiety! I am proud of you because so many of us decide suffer in silence for the most part. I don’t think that having a therapist is anything that anyone should be ashamed or fearful of. Why bear the weight of the world on your shoulders when there are people who can help you free yourself from some of your burdens, especially those emotional ones.