Updated 08/13/2024
Therapy can be a lot of work, but your effort will pay off in the end. Mental health therapy is rewarding because you’re bound to see positive outcomes any time you focus on yourself to better your life. But have you wondered “do I need therapy?”
We’re diving into all the benefits of therapy here to showcase why you might want to seek therapy. There’s nothing better than putting in the time and seeing your life change.
Read on to learn some of the most rewarding benefits of therapy and why you might seek out a therapist.
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Top 15 Benefits of Seeing a Therapist
There are many benefits of psychotherapy, which is also known as talk therapy. Research shows that close to 75% of people who begin psychotherapy or talking therapy see some benefits after six months of mental health treatment. Knowing what kinds of positive outcomes are possible might help you decide if (and what type of) therapy is right for you. Different types of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy will offer varying benefits, and certain forms may be more well-suited for various struggles. For instance, dialectical behavior therapy tends to be more effective in treating borderline personality disorder than cognitive behavioral therapy. Learn more about the benefits of psychotherapy and talking therapy below.
1. Improve communication skills
Therapy can help you learn how to have healthy, productive, positive communication skills. Being able to effectively communicate in a healthy way means you can successfully navigate virtually all areas of your life. Whether you tend to shy away from confrontation, get angry too quickly, or feel anxiety when having a direct conversation, therapy can help you gain the skills you need to feel confident any time you’re communicating with others.
2. Learn to resolve conflict
If you find it challenging to successfully handle any type of conflict in your life, therapy can be beneficial. Working with a mental health professional, you can learn how to set healthy relationship boundaries, be direct with your needs, and confidently ask for things that you hope to get out of relationships and situations. Conflict resolution is an important skill for any person to learn, and the stronger you become, the better you’ll be able to deal with many other aspects of your life.
3. Treat mental health conditions
Therapy can be effective in treating a number of mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and more. Putting your mental health first and getting the help you need is a sign of strength and something to be proud of.
“Getting to the root of what’s causing a mental health condition is one of the most beautiful and beneficial parts of working with a therapist because it can be incredibly freeing. Processing our core beliefs and hurts helps to create long term behavior change in our lives. If we don’t get to the crux of the issue, it’s like putting a bandaid on a major wound — it might stop the bleeding in the moment, but it won’t help in the long term.”
4. Increased self awareness
Therapy is a great way for individuals to better understand themselves, including their emotional and mental health, life experiences, and overall behavior. Through self-reflection, you can discover how your own thoughts, emotions, and patterns may be preventing you from moving forward in life and leading a healthier, happier lifestyle.
5. Collaborate with your family
Therapy can be very useful in overcoming internal family struggles. With both individual therapy and family therapy options, a therapist can help mend bridges and develop healthy communication strategies that can help families to overcome trauma, grief, addiction issues, and more. Whether you get individual therapy or seek family therapy, you are sure to see some improvements within your familial relationships.
6. Develop coping skills and strategies
Having a plan of action is key if you want to face any of your mental health challenges head-on. Mental health therapy teaches you how to develop strong coping skills and strategies. Armed with these coping strategies, you’ll be able to offset things that are holding you back in your life. When you know how to positively and productively work through issues and problems, you’ll be able to grow and overcome just about any of life’s challenges that stand in your way.
7. Learn to find healthy, positive support
Having the right support to get through those tough periods in life can be a game-changer. If you have a difficult time finding a strong support system, you hate asking for help, or you tend to attract toxic relationships that don’t add value to your life, therapy might be able to help. During mental health treatment, you can focus on changing the behaviors and thought patterns you currently exhibit, which are likely contributing to any difficulties you’re having.
8. Stronger relationships
Therapy can help improve relationships by providing individuals with the tools to communicate more effectively, set healthy boundaries, and work through conflicts. Through therapy, you can gain insight into your own patterns of behavior and communication, which can lead to more fulfilling and satisfying relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners.
9. Change negative emotions and thought patterns
What we think, we manifest. If you’re consumed with negative emotions and negative thoughts that are interfering with your life, therapy can help. You’ll learn to first identify what you’re doing and then begin to retrain your brain to think about and approach situations differently. Anything from facing conflict to addressing your fears to breaking dysfunction in your relationships can be addressed through a therapy session. It works by changing negative thoughts and negative thought patterns.
“One benefit of psychotherapy that I see most is that when people learn more about themselves, they begin to create a life that feels more authentic to them. Therapy can help with this by uncovering subconscious limiting beliefs we have, exploring them, integrating them, and then taking action to break old patterns in our lives that no longer serve us.”
10. Alter negative behaviors
Like our thoughts, sometimes our behaviors become detrimental. They can keep us from living a positive and healthy lifestyle. Maybe you struggle with addiction, or you tend to self-sabotage, or there are other negative ways you behave. Therapy can help you alter those behaviors that are having a negative impact on your world and relationships.
11. Better productivity at work
When you feel better, you do better. The importance of therapy goes beyond your mental health. Getting therapy to address certain aspects of your life can help you be more productive in other areas, including work. Some research has even shown that there’s a direct correlation between seeking mental health help and a reduction in missed work.
12. Improved physical health
There is a strong connection between mental and physical health, and therapy can help improve both. For example, therapy can teach you effective stress management techniques, which can lead to improved sleep, reduced blood pressure, and a stronger immune system.
13. Better mental health
Therapy offers more than just a temporary fix; it fosters lasting mental health improvements. Engaging in regular therapy sessions can lead to significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, providing a stronger foundation for emotional resilience. By addressing underlying issues, therapy helps cultivate a state of well-being that permeates all areas of life, enhancing your ability to enjoy daily activities and face challenges with a healthier mindset.
14. Learn to handle your emotions
Emotional regulation is a critical skill you can develop through therapy. It involves understanding and managing your emotions so they don’t overwhelm you or lead to impulsive actions. Therapists teach techniques such as mindfulness and cognitive reframing, which help you recognize your emotional triggers and alter your responses to them. Mastering this skill can improve your relationships and increase your overall life satisfaction by giving you control over your emotional reactions.
15. Overcome past hurt or trauma
Therapy provides a safe space to confront and work through past trauma, allowing you to heal and move forward. The therapeutic process can help dismantle the power that past hurts may hold over your current life by examining their roots and impact. Whether it’s childhood abuse, neglect, or a more recent traumatic event, therapy can help you process these experiences in a way that reduces their lasting effects, helping you to reclaim your sense of self and reduce future vulnerability to similar stressors.
What Can Therapy Help With?
Therapy is a positive way to deal with trauma, pain, or any issue you have in life so you can become a healthier, happier, more peaceful person. When you develop coping strategies, learn how to let go of negativity, set boundaries, or deal with certain situations in a positive manner, you can finally start living that full life you’ve always pictured.
“You don’t have to wait for a crisis moment in your life to see a therapist. You don’t have to live in suffering. You can see a therapist when things are going really well in your life, or when you’re about to go through a big life transition.”
But there are even more benefits of therapy than just the ones we have discussed. Therapy can teach you how to deal with divorce, manage grief, or build relationships (romantic or those with family or friends) in a healthy way.
If there’s anything in life that you’re struggling with, or if any situations or relationships are starting to interfere in your daily functioning, it might be time to start thinking about therapy.
Therapy can help you process many common, yet difficult things in life, including:
- Wanting to better yourself or your life
- Managing your anxiety or depression
- Feeling like you’re overwhelmed
- Dealing with a serious life change or transition
- Navigating relationship issues
- Getting through a crisis
- Learning how to deal with aggressive people
- Learning how to manage anger issues
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Working through difficult or stressful family dynamics
- Overcoming or managing substance abuse and addiction
- Learning how to deal with difficult or toxic people
- Substance abuse like drinking too much or doing drugs
- Eating disorders
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
“When you’re going through a challenging time, therapy can be incredibly beneficial to process what is going on for you, what it’s bringing up from your past, and how you can best move forward. You deserve help, and you deserve support.”
Getting Started With Therapy
Talk therapy is known for its powerful ability to help you work through any of life’s challenges. Online therapy with Talkspace is an excellent way to gently enter into the world of therapy. It’s convenient, effective, flexible, and affordable with coverage by health insurance. Working with a mental health professional, you can get the mental health counseling you need, when and how you need it.
Learning how to find the right therapist is equally as important for a successful therapy journey. At Talkspace, we’ll match you with a therapist suited to your needs. Once matched, you’ll be well on your way to addressing any mental health condition, working on your relationship, or simply learning more about yourself so you can be the best version of you.
One of the most important things to know about the benefits of counseling or psychological therapy is that it’s never too soon to get help. Seeking therapy is a sign of courage and strength. Learn how to find a therapist online with Talkspace today. Your first online therapy session is just a click away.
Sources:
1. Ching, PhD J, Londoño-McConnell, PhD A, Ducharme, PhD E et al. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding. Published 2020. Accessed September 10, 2021.
2. Muramatsu K, Fujino Y, Kubo T, Otani M, Matsuda S. Relationship between treatment and period of absence among employees on sick leave due to mental disease. Ind Health. 2019;57(1):79-83. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2018-0055. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363582/. Published January 2019. Accessed September 10, 2021.
3. Your Adolescent – Anxiety and Avoidant Disorders. Aacap.org. https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Anxiety_Disorder_Resource_Center/Your_Adolescent_Anxiety_and_Avoidant_Disorders.aspx; date unknown. Accessed September 10, 2021.
Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.
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