Everyone goes though some very hard things in this life. So how do you know when it’s time for professional support?

For psychotherapy to be worth it, you need to get more out of it than the time and energy you put in.  Consider the analogy of the woodcutter’s saw.  When the saw is already sharp, taking extra time to sharpen it would be a waste of time and energy.  But when it’s dull, progress suffers.  There is a point at which not taking the time to sharpen your saw starts costing you.

So ask yourself this question: If I were not so burdened by the issues I face, how much more effective could I be in my work, my academic, or my personal life?  Do yourself a favor and look back over that question again. If the answer is something like “quite a bit,” then psychotherapy will very likely pay off for you.

Signs you could need counseling:

One or more upsetting situations or events in your life or the life of someone you care about are leaving you with any of the following:

• Persistent and troubling feelings of stress, depression, worry, guilt, or other negative emotions
• Trouble sleeping for more than a few days
• Having disturbing thoughts
• An inability to find fun or joy in previously enjoyed activities
• Rarely socializing despite feeling lonely or bored
• No appetite or a tendency to overeat
• An increased or problem use of alcohol or other drugs
• Confusion, motivation, memory, or concentration problems
• Taking unnecessary risks or feeling an urge to do dangerous things
• Feeling worthless, hopeless, or useless or thinking you would be better off dead

 If you have either of the last two signs, get help right away. Having any of these signs at all, if they are serious enough to get in the way of your life satisfaction, shows you need therapy.  Please don’t wait to get help.  The longer you wait, the more life satisfaction you miss, and the harder it becomes for us to help you get to a better, more fulfilling way of living.