to continue on this series of vlogs and blogs on mental health, i first wanted to talk about mental health advocacy and different types of therapies.
advocacy: you have to speak up to yourself. that is the most simple thing i can say. i can speak for myself and therapists that i know when i say that we are here to help you. we want to help you and we don't think less of you because you came to us for help. there is a stigma around mental health, but you're not weak, you're human.
in my video, i talked a bit about different types of therapies that are available. most people don't know that there is something more than traditional talk therapy.
traditional therapy is wonderful and it works. it's the type of therapy i have chosen. the first and most important thing is find the therapist that works best with you. therapy will be uncomfortable and this person will say things to challenge you. you need to be able to build a trust and rapport with them. i suggest finding a couple to meet and try. be honest about why you're there and see how the first session goes. i wish i had that advice when i had therapy the first time when i was a teenager. that therapist and i didn't have any connection with him. frankly, he made me feel uncomfortable. i may have had a much better outlook on mental health as i was growing up. luckily, it gives me a different perspective when i work with clients.
other than traditional talk therapy, there is a lot of other types of therapies that you can benefit from, in addition to or in lieu of traditional therapy.
i talked about a few in my vlog, and i'm going to post them and links to their national associations below here. i am an art therapist (though i do also provide traditional talk therapy as well), and i think that the different types of expressive and creative arts therapies provide something far beyond what traditional therapy provides. it's up to you though, to figure out what works best and what will get you to the place you're trying to go.
Art Therapy: arttherapy.org
Dance/Movement Therapy:https://adta.org
Drama Therapy:http://www.nadta.org
Music Therapy: musictherapy.org
Recreational Therapy: https://www.atra-online.com/what/FAQ
Check out those links and they can also help you find therapists practicing in your area.
the strongest move you can make sometimes is asking for help.