There are many reasons why people may want extra support. And the first thing to remember is that WE ALL HAVE AND LOOK FOR MENTORS throughout the entire journey of our lives. Our parents and caregivers are our first role models (be it good or bad). Then there are neighbours, teachers, extended family, friends, coaches, etc. The important point is that as soon as you are able to, what you want to find are highly qualified, experienced and effective mentors in every area of your life to guide you along that way. And that is where a great psychologist can support you.
Reasons Why You Might See a Psychologist
We all have moments in life when we feel like we are stuck and just not moving forward. In these times, we may feel as if we don’t have the tools, tips and strategies to break through what’s holding us back. And that might be the perfect time to chat with an expert in the field of the mind – a solution-focused psychologist. Here’s why: the years of research and training psychologists do, they have a deep understanding of thought processes and how to retrain your brain to create the changes you want.
Also, if you’re experiencing a lot of sudden stress, or continued stress, and negative emotions – feeling depressed, anxious, angry, worried, filled with fear, uncertainty about the future, not sure where you’re going in life – those are all indicators that it might be time to chat to somebody. And that is your starting point – having the awareness of where you are at.
Another reason why people might see a psychologist could be in terms of the relationship with oneself. That’s a really big one in terms of I’m angry, I’m frustrated, I’m disappointed with myself, I’m not happy with the outcomes and the results. It could be I don’t have any clarity, I feel that I’m just going round and round in circles, and I’ve been doing this for weeks, months, or even years, and I’m feeling stuck.
You know, what I often say is:
“It’s okay to be stuck, but staying stuck is the big problem. Now we know what the problem is, let’s work towards the solution.”
Brad Everton
If you’re not happy with yourself, that’s likely to spill over into other relationships in both your personal and professional life. They are all interconnected, and when you realise that one thing affects the other and that it just creates a domino effect, it really does make sense to do something about it. So, relationships are another reason why you may choose to see a psychologist. Relationships can cause so much grief, pressure and stress. And, those relationships also affect the other areas of life too.
Unfortunately…
There’s still a big stigma attached to seeing a psychologist. BUT most people just want better results in life. And it just makes sense to seek out support from someone outside your normal circle that can look at your issues from a different perspective. And, many of the problems are actually very common. The things we often see include:
- Wanting more from life (e.g. come first place, find someone to love, get that promotion, have a great job AND financial freedom AND a loving family AND fun, etc)
- Improve your relationships (e.g. with yourself, your loved ones, your work colleagues)
- Dealing with grief and loss (e.g. the passing of a loved one, the breakdown of a relationship, losing a beloved friend or pet)
- Acute or chronic stress (e.g. from a traumatic event, bullying and harassment)
- Feeling depressed, anxious, or stressed (feeling anxious about your career or unhappy with your workplace relationships, feeling as though you’re not connecting with your partner or your kids)
The thing is…
If issues such as grief and loss were to go on unchecked over a period of time, it will cause things like anxiety and depression. Stress is often an indicator of things being off track and one of the ways to know that we’re experiencing stress is through our emotions.
Negative emotions such as anger, frustration, fear, disappointment, overwhelm, despair, and powerlessness are all indicators that you’re off track and may need some tools, tips and strategies to get back on track. That’s where the best psychologists can help you.
And, think about this for a moment…
Every action you take in life started with a thought. Therefore, if you want to break through any level you are currently at, you will want to ensure your mindset is right first. So, if you’ve been contemplating chatting to somebody like a psychologist yourself, or you’ve been thinking about how to help a family member or a loved one find a psychologist or a counsellor… the next question you ask is:
“How can I find somebody who can support me to move forward?”
How to Pick a Counsellor to Help You Get a Break Through
Firstly, most psychologists will have a website. So when you Google “best psychologist near me,” be sure to:
- look over what they stand for,
- how much experience they have,
- if they specialise in a particular area of interest that matches what you are looking for, and
- (most importantly), try to get a sense of whether they have a style that might match yours.
On our website, we talk about our extensive counselling experience, what therapy services we provide, what we areas of psychology we specialise in, what we stand for, and so much more. Every psychologist’s website should include this type of information to give you an idea of what they are about. Therefore, many of your questions should be answered on the psychologist’s website.
If you still have questions, pick up the phone and ask those questions before you make an appointment.
Secondly, once you’re engaged in the sessions, it’s important to connect with your psychologist. An experienced psychologist and counsellor should be able to build good rapport quickly within the first couple of sessions. And this is also likely to be linked to the progress you will make too. But remember not to leave it all up to the psychologist. Because the only way they can truly support you is if you open up and give it your best as well.
And…
Your psychologist should always be non-judgemental. An impartial ear. And someone understanding of your situation who you can bounce off to then move towards your goals. In essence, your psychologist should be guiding you towards achieving the outcomes that you’re looking for.
What to Expect in Your First Sessions with a Great Psychologist
In the first session particularly, you want to ensure the psychologist or therapist has a good understanding of what your key issues are – that’s really what they should be aiming for initially.
The best thing you can do is try it out and see if your counsellor understands what you’re actually looking for support around. And then if they’re solution-focused they should be already looking at helping you identify your goal and start heading towards it. In our practice, we ensure you leave with at least 1 new concept to help you get started by the end of your first session because our key focus is to empower you toward living your best life.
Next, your psychologist will help you put together a plan for how you are going to move forward with the sessions. You should be able to work with your therapist to gain awareness and clarity of what you want to get out of the sessions too.
Fundamentally, in seeing a psychologist we’re looking for better outcomes and better results. Because the fact is (for whatever reason), we’re not currently getting those outcomes and results. So, talking to a professional mindset trainer is the perfect place to start turning things around.
So, hopefully, now you can see the value of talking to an expert therapist. And this inspires you to take that first step. Because no matter who you are – whether you are a big CEO like Richard Branson, a doctor on Operation Ouch, one of the many service providers that help those guys create and distribute, or even if you are the one who needs support through services like NDIS due to life’s circumstances… we all need to learn the mental skills to live a truly happy and fulfilled life. So, don’t let anything hold you back – take action today to develop your mental life skills.