People who seek therapy are often struggling with common issues that we all encounter in our lives.   There are many reasons why people seek therapy and therapists work with clients to identify their specific reasons for seeking therapy and to create an individualized plan to address their concerns.    Below I discuss some general reasons why people commonly seek therapy.

5 common reasons why people seek therapy

• To address mental health symptoms that are interfering with their daily life at home, work or school. Examples of mental health symptoms include: depressed mood, anxiety, difficulty with sleep, irritability and attention difficulties.  These mental health symptoms may be influenced by a variety of factors.
• To improve their relationships with a family member or other loved one. Relationship topics that could be addressed in therapy include; communication, conflict resolution, or trust.  Therapy can be used to try to address relationship concerns in a variety of relationships, including: couples, entire families, siblings groups, and caregivers who are co-parenting.
• To seek support in adjusting to a significant life change. Significant life changes that may be addressed in therapy include: divorce, death of a loved one, or job loss.
• To obtain support in healing from a traumatic event. Examples of traumatic events that may be addressed in therapy include; a car accident, being a victim of a crime, or experiencing abuse.   The traumatic event may be recent or may have occurred many years ago.
• To get unbiased support in making a major decision. Often times, people find it helpful to speak with a professional about decisions in order to get unbiased support as they weigh the pros and cons of a decision.

If you or a loved one are ready to begin therapy, you may wonder how to begin searching for a therapist who is a good fit.   Here are a couple ideas of how to get started:

• Ask your child’s doctor or other professionals you work with for a referral.
• Ask friends or family members for referrals
• Search the internet
• Contact your insurance company