Why Happy People Seek Therapy.
Written by a therapist in Long Beach.
When you hear that someone is in therapy, your first thought is that they are probably going through something truly terrible – addiction, divorce, depression, anxiety, etc. – because why would a happy person ever seek out the professional services of a therapist? It may come as a surprise to learn that plenty of perfectly happy individuals see a therapist on a regular or semi-regular basis. There are plenty of reasons why talking to a trained professional can make your life better, and you don’t need to wait until things go off the rails before you make that call. There are people who want to have an “even better relationship” with their spouse, want to improve their already good communication skills, want to work through some small barriers that are getting in the way of their success, want to improve their relationships with their family/friends…. The list goes on.
Even when things are going well in your life, there are things that can improve. Perhaps there is a chance that you may have a little voice in your head telling you that it can’t possibly last, or you don’t deserve the happiness that you have. Many people are riddled with doubt even when they are happy in their relationships and career. If you allow those voices to take control, you can quickly start to doubt all that you do. Talking to a therapist can help you recognize those voices, whilst dealing with the doubt and negativity by nipping it in the bud before it takes hold.
Now, let’s imagine for a moment that you are happy and living a good life. Is this a state that you will be happy to stay in forever, or do you believe that things can get even better? If the latter is true, chances are you might not know how to go about improving your life. By asking the right questions, a therapist can get you to the answers that have been evading you to this point in your life. We all know why we do or don’t know things, we just don’t really think about them that often or give them any credence. Getting some clarity can help you push beyond where you are and onto a better life.
Talking things out is often the best way to get the answers that you seek, and it isn’t always possible to get that from a trusted friend or family member. They will often feel as though they just need to say what you want to hear, or perhaps the advice they give is not the best for you, because they have some agenda of their own (even if it is what they think is best for you). For example, they may try to talk you out of taking a promotion at work because it will mean that you get to spend less time together. A therapist has no personal benefit of any decision you make and they are trained to be objective and to help you reach the answers based on your responses to questions they ask you.
It’s great to be happy with your lot in life, but there are times when happiness can be fleeting, and there are also levels of happiness. Staying happy takes work and a lot of introspection, the latter of which can be easily dismissed when you are in a good place. As long as you continue to work on you, happiness should be a constant, and you will be better equipped to deal with the inevitable dips that always come in life. Talking to a therapist can be truly positive, even if you are happier than you have ever been.