Talk therapy isn't just talking about your problems. It's also about working towards solutions. Each thought you think and action you take is a chain reaction sparked by a trigger. These thoughts and actions become patterns. When you don't notice these patterns and don't take steps to intervene, you can face long-term mental health consequences.
While therapy doesn't fix you, working with a therapist or a Licensed Brain Health Coach will give you the tools and strategies you need to feel more comfortable in your own skin, feel more motivated to reach your goals, and develop strong and meaningful relationships with people in your life.
And this is why communication is important whether it is with a therapist or a Licensed Brain Health Coach.
Learn How To Build Happier, Healthier Relationships
Do you often feel misunderstood, frustrated, or unheard when you’re trying to communicate your thoughts and feelings? Do you often feel as though you say the wrong thing or unintentionally make conversations and disagreements more complicated than they should be?
When someone says or does something hurtful, many of us react and respond based on impulse, rather than considering our words’ implications before and as we speak them.
Unfortunately, when we don’t learn how to think through and communicate our thoughts and feelings, conversations and disagreements can turn into big problems and cause rifts in your interpersonal relationships.
Situations that might contribute to communication issues include: - childhood stress - physical and mental health issues - trauma - misinterpretation of another person’s statements or motivations - failure to understand another person’s point of view - cultural or linguistic differences and barriers - inaccurate assumptions or stereotypes - poor listening skills - stonewalling (also known as the “silent treatment”) - secrecy or deception
Working with a therapist or a Licensed Brain Health Coach helps you make room to consider WHY you react the way you do when certain conversational topics come up, or why you begin feeling a specific emotion during a conversation. By talking to someone about your communication habits and challenges, you can learn more about yourself and take steps to start communicating your feelings in more constructive ways.
Do You Suffer From "Swept Under the Rug" Mentality?
Did your family operate on a “don’t ask, don’t tell” basis regarding emotions and mental health?
Have you ever stopped to think about how the way you were raised might have influenced your own mental health and habits when dealing with your emotions?
Maybe you find yourself reacting to the same triggers as your caregivers, or even using the same phrases they used during arguments toward you.
This is normal.
You learned your communication methods from your caregivers.
Your caregivers learned communication methods from their caregivers.
The cycle goes back for generations.
If you were raised by and around people who didn’t make a habit of discussing their feelings and emotions, it’s likely that you’ve developed some unhealthy habits about dealing with your emotions too. If they raised their voice over every minor inconvenience or irritation, it’s likely that you might yell when you’re feeling irritated or frustrated, too.
If you have children or want to have children one day, taking the time to dive deep into your behavior will help you raise your children in a healthier way. By taking time to understand how feelings and emotions SHOULD be worked through, you can set your child up with healthy methods of expressing their emotions and communicating their feelings.
Even if you’re not planning on expanding your family, if you know that you were raised with unhealthy habits for coping with emotions, mend the errors that were passed down to you because you deserve to live a happy, mentally well life.
If you’re ready to talk to someone, let’s talk: contact@sustainabrain.com
Decide To Not Be Reduced By Events
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” - Maya Angelou
Thank you so much for reading this blog series about how therapy can help. I hope that you’ve learned something valuable about how therapy or a Licensed Brain Health Coach can benefit you and your life.
At the very least, I hope you’ve gained some perspective about HOW therapy or a LIcensed Brain Health Coach works and understand a little more about the potential effects that can arise when you don’t take the time to work on your mental health.
I hope that you’re a bit more inclined now to study your own behavior, be aware of your emotions, and understand how your emotions heavily impact every aspect of your life.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about working with a therapist or a Licensed Brain Health Coach, I’m happy to talk with you. Just contact me at contact@sustainabrain.com