Seek Ye a Therapist!
Posted on May 29, 2012
May is Mental Health Awareness month. Yay, mental health! I remember in nursing school getting my first copy of a DSM-3 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Third Edition (now in its 5th edition, I think.) I read it cover to cover. Then I took it home on weekends and diagnosed my family members. Imagine how they must have enjoyed that!
I’d have the book open in my lap all weekend long, while silently watching family interactions. Then I’d point to one of them and I’d say, “I know what your problem is. You know what your problem is? I know. You have Histrionic personality disorder. You fit the profile exactly!” Needless to say, I wasn’t popular with my family during that stage of my life.
Yet, it was then that I fell in love with psychology and the way the mind works. I enjoyed pondering why we do the things we do and how we would go about correcting behavior that didn’t serve us well. I wanted to become a psychologist myself, but my parents told me I had already switched my major too many times and I had to stick with something or they’d cut me off financially. So sad.
I decided instead to start going to therapy myself! Goodness knows I had plenty to talk about – what with my Histrionic stepmother and all. And what a wonderful opportunity it was! To divulge all my issues and then have an objective observer tell me what they thought of it all! I loved therapy. I loved everything about it. I loved the quiet waiting rooms with the little tabletop waterfalls. I loved the white noise sound machines outside the therapist doors. I loved the sofas and the little boxes of tissues they had. I loved all their scholarly books on their shelves. But most of all, I loved that someone helped me put all my stuff into perspective. To leave the office feeling a little bit less burdened, or more enlightened – it was wonderful.
That’s when I decided that everybody should be in therapy! Even if they don’t think they need it.
I see having a therapist sort of like I see having a doctor. Just as you’d see your doctor if you have an ache or a pain or a fever, you would have a therapist to go see when you have an issue here and there throughout your life. That’s how I’ve done it. But you have to be sure to pick a therapist that fits you. I’ve had some that just sat there and never offered any opinion; some that only offered sweet, innocent comments; and I even had one that talked more than me! I moved on until I found my favorite. He’s an older man with a quirky sense of humor who says it like he sees it and really digs in with insight and advice. Now, at 47 years old, I’ve been through so much in my life. He’s seen me through my mother and grandmother’s tragic deaths, my father’s dramatic exodus, my never ending divorce, and my crazy relationships with my sisters. I hope I don’t need him anymore (knock on wood) but I’m glad to know that I can call him if I do.
So let’s celebrate Mental Health Awareness month and go hug a therapist!
And, as I like to do, I’ve included a song which speaks to today’s blog theme: http://youtu.be/rZH5PdSK0rk