As the holiday season approaches and the winter months set in, many people find themselves facing increased stress, anxiety and emotional challenges. Mental health professionals agree that therapy is not just for those with diagnosed conditions, but for anyone navigating life’s difficulties, big or small
Therapy is for a range of concerns
At Lotus Consulting, their therapists are trained to help folks with a range of issues, including stress management, general mental health concerns, depression, anxiety, substance use, eating issues, trauma, loss, grief, life transitions, family dynamics, relationship challenges, performance enhancement, sports psychology, coaching and many other dynamics.
RELATED: The Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan Provides Context-Aware Support
“We all can benefit from an outside, objective perspective and evidence-based methods that enhance our lives,” Ilona Phillips, LMSW, founder and director of Lotus Consulting, said. “We all have blind spots, and we all have tried to solve issues the same, old way, limiting our options and outcomes.”
Phillips stated that sometimes a person gets set on fixing a problem in the same way, but a therapist can help provide other strategies that were not considered.
“As they say, ‘if the only — or predominant — tool we have is a hammer, we tend to see every problem as a nail,” Phillips said. “Maslow reminds us of over reliance on familiar or favorite tools. We help folks understand (1) why and how that’s the case in their scenario, and more importantly (2) what else is available, and how to capitalize on their strengths, values, and options. Even small shifts can lead to big results.”
Therapy can create self-awareness
Sometimes, therapy is simply about processing what is happening in one’s life.
“Therapy is an opportunity to process any life experiences and explore our responses to them,” Erin Ernst, LMSW, CCTP, PMH-,C said. “We don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from increased self-awareness. That being said, when appropriate, diagnoses can be really empowering and help people name their struggles and understand them, which helps move us away from fear and shame.”
Ernst said anyone who is cognitively capable of participating in therapy can benefit from therapy. In short, most people can benefit from thinking about what life throws at you and how you deal with it.
“Therapy provides an opportunity for people to build their mental ‘toolbox’ of coping skills,” said Ernst. “When we understand ourselves and our experiences better, they feel more manageable.”
She added that therapy can help achieve personal goals as well.
“Before we can achieve personal goals, we have to name them,” Ernst said. “Self-awareness of our strengths and struggles helps people understand and identify paths toward our goals.”
Therapy can help heal
News, social media, the internet, work and many other factors can overwhelm people. Therapy can also become a safe space where things slow down, and we can make better sense of things.
“Our lives are busier than ever,” said Christian DeAngelis, MA, LLP, a psychotherapist and doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at Wayne State. “We are bombarded by information constantly. We are juggling many different demands. Therapy offers a space away from all the noise where one can prioritize oneself in whatever way makes sense. Some people have undergone trauma that they don’t even realize that happened to them. There is such a thing as collective trauma also. Some therapists and psychologists believe that the years of the COVID lockdowns and uncertainty about many unknowns and threats of the pandemic traumatized everyone in some way. However, how each of us deals with it may be a very individualized approach. “
“What works for one individual, couple, or family may not work for another,” DeAngelis said. “Nevertheless, we are talking about humans here. Human beings are social creatures. We did not come to occupy almost every part of the planet through solitary or individual efforts. We depended on others.”
While individual therapy is essential, thinking about how we relate to one another is also important.
“Healing is also a social phenomenon,” DeAngelis said. “Healing happens in the context of relationships. Therapy is about establishing a safe relationship and space to work through challenges. We manage the tough parts of life much better when we believe we have unconditional support from others. I believe that therapy can sometimes be a source of support and safety.”
If you are interested in therapy but don’t think you can afford it, some places, such as the Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan, offer a sliding scale or even free therapy.
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
