Let's talk THERAPY...

Hello friends, it's been a while ! 

Lots of life changes are happening worldwide this month & my personal life is no exception with a new job, new website re-branding(work in progress!!) ,new course kick-starting the next phase of my therapy-training & of course making time for those I love ,horses ,personal therapy and making content to uplift & inform you! :) 

Hoping this post finds you well ,resting & as I sit listening to the birds singing away in a therapeutic way,it’s so obvious that spring has its own therapeutic themes - processing change into another new beautiful life season❣️
Bringing me into the topic of this entry- everything experiencing therapy has equipped me with to tell you too😃.

Now I’m a HUGE advocate for the right therapy for any individual. I say ‘right’ here because there are varied types so each therapist will bring a different ‘style’ into the space - also taking into consideration the individual personality of each therapist. I like to explain it like a driving instructor of life where if you don’t ‘click’ with them , you won’t be able to trust them enough to truly open up & learn how to navigate .Sometimes it takes a few sessions with a therapist to know this, however switching therapists until you find your fit is so important if you don’t feel you can truly open up , after all , their only wish for you in the space is to help you & if it’s not them usually they will refer you if you haven’t found someone otherwise but they will never feel personally offended if you decide to move on😌🙌🏼.

A rather recent epiphany of mine that you may also relate to has been realising there’s always hidden reasons why you’re REALLY at therapy & there’s also different LAYERS to the process ; let’s break this up in two parts :
Firstly the reason you think you’re going into therapy is actually only 1 part of it (surface level in your conscious awareness) chances are ,you need professional guidance gathering parts of your subconscious internal environment (or you probably wouldn’t be considering it in the first place!) so don’t be surprised if you uncover within surfacing unexpected new discoveries (this can be exciting !)
Secondly different layers exist within the context of self-discovery & exploration (which will look different for each person). I used to stop getting therapy when it wasn't 'suiting' anymore honestly ;such as a new job or deciding MYSELF that I was done - basically when you think you've reached a peak of discovery ,there is actually a whole NEW level you discover, so when you think you've reached a potential closure-point ,actually discussing this through with your therapist will be so valuable as a good assessment point too!
It is also really useful to note that the different types or 'approaches' to therapy ,hold different typical characteristics. Here’s a brief overview of 3 of the main types of therapy to give you some context :
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (a.k.a CBT) focuses on your unhelpful thoughts, habits & behaviour, identifying them ,then replacing them with better ones that help rather than harm & is action-focused. It usually tends to have a set time frame of treatment which is discussed with your therapist ,where there's also heavy value in working as a team & you'll often have homework exercises too. Linked with treating :
    •    mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder
    •    anxiety and phobias
    •    eating disorders
    •    substance use disorders
    •    OCD
    •    insomnia
    •    some symptoms of schizophrenia

- Person-Centred (or Humanistic) therapy looks at the inner self , the true self & the perceived self ,also with exploration of how the person experiences the world ( known as phenomenology) . The person is seen as ‘the expert in themselves’ & so therapists facilitate this by taking lead of the client while checking-in where necessary/appropriate & helping to identify key thoughts, emotions& belief systems. Associated in helping with:    
    •    self-esteem issues
    •    difficulty coping with chronic health concerns
    •    effects of trauma
    •    depression
    •    relationship issues
    •    substance use disorder
    •    feelings of worthlessness or being lost in life
- Psychodynamic (or Psychoanalytic) approaches tend to be longer-term ,looking heavily into childhood development & trauma , anything that disrupts this development and how it impacts relationships, thoughts &emotions in the present. The therapist works with you to explore the connection between your unconscious mind and your actions by looking at these with any patterns - associated with treating :    
     •    depression
    •    anxiety
    •    eating disorders
    •    somatic symptoms
    •    substance use disorder
    •    a variety of other conditions
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There is also a fourth type called integrative therapy (my personal fave!) which is a mix of all the styles of therapy ,applied & adapted depending on who the person is & what they bring into the space !
(If you want to read up on the different styles a little more in-depth ,read a simple explanation here) 

To summarise ,it doesn't matter what you do, how old you are, where you are in the world or what you've been /are going through - there is a therapy & therapist out there that can benefit you ! 

Had an experience with therapy already ? Or maybe you're still considering it ? I'd love to hear your shared thoughts below !:) 

Until next time,take care & keeping growing :)!


        Love & light always,


    Abi Xo



NEXT MONTH : What body positivity REALLY means :)
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