Talking Therapy

Trying out therapy has me feeling great. It’s something I’ve never done before but long considered. While I don’t think I’ve flown the coop or anything, it’s nice to be able to talk with someone about matters I’m not willing to talk about with others. Better Help is the online counseling service that I’m trying out, thus my experience will be reflecting that.

Getting Started

There are a few of things I recognize as needing help with mentally or emotionally. I’ve tried various habits in the past, a lot of which have helped, but most often they are self-driven. Having another person involved has surprisingly been easier.

For my first and only session so far, my therapist and I targeted a single problem to focus on and work through, though she encouraged sharing anything else that comes up. The problem in question isn’t something I’m comfortable talking with others due to it’s unpleasantness, so it was nice to finally talk it through. Someone offering alternatives to a mindset I was stuck in was nice. My therapist recommended putting my focus and energy into alternative ways of thinking that make me feel better about a given situation.

The app also encourages goal setting, which of course I am all about. My goal this week is to write at least two journals. Journaling has helped me express and release thoughts that have been sticking around, but I’ve struggled to continue the habit. Someone holding me accountable is helpful to continue such a helpful practice. There is even built in journal functionality in the app that can be shared with the counselor, further encouraging the habit.

Service Support

The online convenience of Better Help is nice, as I can send and receive messages at any time with my therapist, giving both of us plenty of flexibility. Scheduling a live session was also easy to do. From what I can tell there aren’t limits on the number of sessions you can take. There are resources available, such as worksheets or exercises, one of which is helping me through my challenges.

It’s still too early to say if it’s totally worth it, especially considering it isn’t cheap. Although, Better Help does seem to be less expensive than traditional therapy and is a flat rate per week. Scheduling just one session a week will likely make up for the cost compared to an in person session. Regardless, a clear mind may be considered priceless.

From what I hear from a number of people, therapy can be helpful not only for the most extreme cases.