Will therapy help?
Today, the world of the internet, social media, and podcasts has made it possible to instantly access a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. It is possible to research and feel like an expert in almost everything - mental wellness included! In some ways, this is amazing! I certainly do this all the time, with parenting, cooking, and with understanding my own health and wellness. However, I’ve realized recently that while I feel like all my googling and scrolling is the more efficient way to learn, it actually can lead me to being more inefficient in practice. In fact, I wonder if it actually delays us at times from getting the help that we need because we convince ourselves that we have all that we need to heal already.
Last winter, I decided after a few years of amateur gardening that I wanted to get a little more serious. Granted, I had always been able to grow things, and had done a ton of reading online, but I felt like there was still a lot I didn’t know. I saw an advertisement for a local virtual gardening class and signed up. It was AMAZING. It was such a relief to have a guide. A live person, who (forgive the pun) was literally in the weeds every day. She gave me an exhaustive list of exactly what to buy from her years of experiences of trial and error with products. She taught me how to “harden off”my seedlings, which I had never done in the past. You see, it turns out that seedlings, like people, need the exposure of time to the harshness of the Texas sun. They need to spend time outside gradually to get used to the wind.
The gardening analogies with therapy are endless. The most poignant one for me today is the benefit of having a skilled guide to support us in our pursuit, as therapy is the pursuit of healing.
Therapists spend time in trauma and healing every day. You need someone in the literal weeds. You will discover truths on your own, but a therapist has been trained to support you in learning them more quickly. They spend all their time supporting others' healing. While everyone is unique, they’ve been through a lot of trial and error to understand what is working best for folks. They may recognize a pattern more quickly. They have expert knowledge in understanding how stress and trauma show up in behavior, feelings, and body sensations. They are also keenly equipped to spot some pop psychology that is rampant on the internet, but that won’t actually help you feel any better.
Therapists have specialized tools. Have you ever heard of vermiculite? I had never heard of it and it’s so helpful for seedlings! It prevents damping off in seedlings. That might sound like a foreign language like it did to me because I was limited in my online research to what I knew to look for. In the same way, therapists are aware of new tools and types of therapies that are useful that you may not have encountered before. This specialized knowledge enables you to get the targeted support that you need.
Some tools can only be administered by a therapist. In gardening, sometimes your soil gets messed up. In that case, you need a test, a specialized tool from a provider to understand what’s happening. Tools like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and SPP (Safe and Sound Protocol) are therapies that require a licensed professional to administer. They are powerful and they require caution and support.
There is healing power in connection. Therapists and clients know and research has also demonstrated that the connection, the relationship between a therapist and their client, is the most significant factor leading to change. There is power in having someone see us, all of us, and validate our worth and our power. Ok, I don’t have a gardening analogy for that one…
Gardening is therapy, in the real sense, and the metaphorical sense. In reality, it is healing to connect with nature and to observe the true pace of growth. It’s also slow, by the way, and magical. In the metaphorical sense, sure- we all know what’s needed for a plant to grow- soil, water, sun. However, getting expert help from someone who has grown things for years helps us to grow stronger plants with more abundant harvests. My gardening teacher isn’t growing my garden for me and my garden isn’t perfect. But I know I’m so much more successful because I dedicated the time and resources to learn how to do things in a knowledgeable way. Therapists have trained to be able to support your healing and they really can make a difference.
If you’re ready to get skilled support today, reach out! We can’t wait to assist you.
Until we see you,
Tara & The Haven Team
