Talk it out
Opening up to a therapist might feel uncomfortable, cathartic, exhausting, or exhilarating, but one thing’s certain: If you keep talking (or texting) you’ll gain insights and uncover truths that you can only find in therapy. For Mental Health Awareness Month we’re elevating real stories and hard science that reveal the magic that happens when you keep up the therapy conversation.
Putting therapy into words
We asked real Talkspace members to describe that therapy feeling in just a word or two.
Interested in starting therapy yourself, or in offering Talkspace as a benefit for your organization?
What’s therapy like for you?
When we asked members of the Talkspace community to describe their feelings about therapy their responses were as diverse as they are, and we’ve listed some of them below. We want to know what resonates with you, so upvote up to three words that capture how therapy feels.
Therapy isn’t all talk
Sharing what’s on your mind with a therapist can actually change how your brain functions. A feature of the brain called “neuroplasticity” means that life events, both positive and negative, and your behaviors impact your brain at the physiological level. Learn more about it here.
Expert takes on how and why to talk to a therapist
Any questions?
Find trust-worthy answers on all things mental health at Talkspace.
What is the theme for Mental Health Awareness Month 2024?
This year Talkspace is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month with a campaign called “Talk it Out” that shares real stories and scientific studies that demonstrate the power of therapy. When you talk (or text) about your thoughts, feelings and experiences with a licensed therapist you improve symptoms, prevent mental health problems, strengthen relationships, and, over time, change your life. By elevating real people’s experiences with therapy we aim to normalize and destigmatize mental health care and encourage everyone to keep up the conversation.
What month is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed yearly in May since 1949.
What is the purpose of Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month raises awareness for mental health conditions, and seeks to normalize the conversation around mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to provide support to those experiencing mental health conditions, educate the public about the importance of mental health, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness. This month also helps raise awareness around the impact of trauma on the emotional, physical, and mental health of communities and individuals. Mental Health Awareness Month seeks to destigmatize mental health conditions and highlight the need for prevention and treatment.
How can I help raise awareness about mental health?
Talk about it! Share posts on your social media, ask your loved ones how they are doing, and if you think a friend or loved one is having a hard time, reach out. Ask how you can best support them. Share your own mental health struggles with others if you’re comfortable opening up. Learn about mental health conditions to gain understanding so you don’t perpetuate myths or stigma. Knowledge is power.
How do you make progress in therapy?
Progress in therapy looks different for everyone and usually doesn’t follow a linear path. You may feel you are making progress quickly sometimes, while other times you might feel stuck. Some key factors to making progress in therapy are finding a therapist who you trust, learning which therapy techniques work for you, and tailoring coping skills and strategies to your lifestyle. Be realistic with your expectations for therapy; change usually doesn’t come after a single session but several.
What are the stages of therapy?
Every person’s therapy experience is unique, and your journey doesn’t necessarily have a destination. However, many professionals consider there to be four basic stages of therapy: orientation, identification, exploration, and resolution.
The first stage is orientation, which involves having your first meeting with your therapist, building a therapeutic relationship, and starting to open up about your mental health. The second stage is identification, where you decide what issues you want to work on and what goals you want to set with your therapist. You may not be fully comfortable yet with them but are working to be more open. As you move through your therapy journey, the exploration stage is next. Exploration describes when you truly delve into the issues you’re experiencing and start working through them. This can be a difficult stage because you’re diving into traumatic memories or reliving tough situations. However, it’s all part of the process to work on yourself and your mental health.
The last stage is resolution, which can take different forms. You might decide you’re done with therapy once you’ve reached resolution on the issue that motivated you to seek therapy. Or you might decide to switch therapists to tackle different or more nuanced issues. However, you may not ever reach the resolution stage, and that’s okay. For many people therapy is a life-long process and can be tailored to whatever you need at a given point in life.
