should you get therapy and why blacks dont go?

I think it's great that you can work out your issues yourself. I really do, but I have found therapy incredibly helpful when going through a really bad time such as when I was getting divorced. Therapists don't tell you what to do. They help you figure out what to do and also get to the root of a problem. Sometimes it takes talking with several therapists before you click with the right one for you.

 

That's what I've experienced before. Lovely people, but I gained nothing from the experiences.

I agreed to counseling when I asked my ex husband for a divorce. I went more for him, to try and offer him some sort of closure and it turned out just as I thought...she wanted to start seeing him alone to help him deal with his issues of me leaving. She flat out said there was nothing in counseling for me, as I was comfortable and content with my decision.

Ultimately, Im very much like my father.. I keep most people at arms reach and truly dgaf what others think. I have no problem walking away from anyone who's done me wrong. Those characteristics really help me keep my sanity according to my mom and sisters lol (who are very much the opposite of me!). I've seen my mom and sisters flourish in counseling. They love to talk about their issues and they seek guidance because it feels "healing" to them. I've just never been that way. Instead, I get quiet and work things out on my own or at most, with my partners guidance (which is actually a huge step for me).

I've seen the benefits of therapy in people close to me, but I also know it's not for everyone. By no means am I against it, like I said, I've seen it help people tremendously. I just don't think it suits my personality.

 

I hear you. You may also be very mentally healthy. You seem to know how to deal with your problems. Therapy is for those who are NEED of help. Doesn't sound like you are

 

It's interesting that you have a therapist because you seem to be serious about fitness.

Weightlifting and cardio exercise is my therapy as well as a lifestyle in general. A lot of people don't incorporate both into their lives and therefore miss out on the many benefits of it.

Trying to get some insight from you here. I remember you saying therapy was a way for you to release pent up emotions. Do you think the exercise was not working well enough for you anymore? Perhaps you got used to it and it lost some of its effectiveness? Perhaps exercise was not really therapeutic to you in the first place? Have you tried meditation or yoga etc?

Anything you could share would be appreciated.

 

Sometimes a person can be having a difficult time and not really no why. There could be unresolved issues from the past. That's where therapy can help because it's not just about releasing stress. It's about facing whatever it is that's causing difficulty and then dealing with it. I think exercise is a great partner to therapy.

 

Excellent point.

Or perhaps there was a new and very difficult situation in his life. (Just looking at possibilities)

 

This one does. I agree with you totally. If you have a problem, use any tool available to address it. I found therapy helpful, and I think more people would if they would give it a chance.

 

more people should embrace therapy.
money is an obstacle.
Especially if you are low income, lower income, your insurance coverage (via your job or independently purchased) mental health coverage is often very modestly covered, at best.

If you are seeking out public resources, it can be a labyrinthine process, as it was for me. I was only working part-time at this time last year; remember calling several organizations- at the state/county level, making follow up calls, speaking with an intake counselor, only to be told that this particular group's services were only for people with substance abuse issues and for folks who were immediately suicidal-- thus, I DID NOT QUALIFY FOR HELP... :smt011:smt011:smt011:smt011 It was very infuriating, and made me feel horrible about my future prospects in trying to address my issues..

Eventually I finally did find a couple of university-affiliated psych clinics, but they both had months-long waiting lists. Finally, this past summer I was able to get direct assistance from a counselor therapist, in this case a PHD student in psychology. Trust is gradually built, and I'm able to reveal certain things, not everything all at once, though.
There's a nominal fee, but I'm able to afford it.

 

^^^ Cost has definitely been an obstacle for me when I've needed counseling, too. There was a point when I felt like I could benefit from weekly appointments but at $80 a pop (that's with insurance, but still satisfying my deductible) that was just out of reach. I went every other week.

 

working out is a one of the good ways to get put of depression

 

It is a requirement of the job. A therapist's professional checks and balances, to ensure that they remain psychologically sound themselves enough to treat others. The burden of others problems on a repeated, daily basis does have the potential to affect them. As you said, they are only human.

 

That's true, but I think more importantly it can help you avoid depression. Preventative maintenance is just as important as dealing with an issue imo. It's proactive yet therapy is without a doubt useful and perhaps needed at times depending on the circumstances. Like Rita said previously it can address a needed that's not directly related to everyday stress.

Exercise works well with healthy relationships etc. It's simply an important piece of a much bigger picture.

 

so true

 

Catch you guys later, I'm looking forward to doing squats today.

 

Absolutely.

 

I watched a documentary last night about the Cheshire, CT murders of the Petits.

One of the killers was shown to be mentally defective via genetics (mental illness ran in his family) and also sexually abused by his foster father.
His teen church girlfriend said that whenever he acted out, he was sent to church camp. Days of laying on hands, prayer, etc. He begged for therapy and medication, but to the elders, church was therapy.
He became a depraved killer.
Now of course, Church and sermons can give you clarity, clear your mind and save you, but sometimes, a person needs MORE.

 

I agree. Even mild, constant exercise is tremendous for the mind. Studies prove it greatly affects seratonin and dopamine levels, releasing similar amounts of the nuerotransmitters as Prozac or Zoloft does (examples).
(Of course it would improve mild and not severe depression.) Who doesn't feel mentally better after doing activity.

 

Working out was therapeutic at first but I became obsessive over it. I constantly was focused on achieving new gains or eating right not to gain weight. Constantly checking myself out in the mirror critiquing myself or worried how others viewed me.

But that's everything I do... when I focus on something I go extra hard.



I've dealt with a lot of trauma on my own growing up which was not fun. I wished someone would of mentioned therapy to me, by the time it was mentioned, i was already over everything.


Yoga and meditation does nothing for me.

 

I just feel hungry. :roll:

 

:smt081