The “Sort of Person who Needs a Therapist…”

As someone who thought they weren't the sort of person to need a Therapist, I thought I'd mark mental health awareness week by sharing why I now think differently. Following a concussion in 2023 and many months of debilitating symptoms, a neurologist referred me for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help me through a long period of recovery. People who suffer a traumatic brain injury are ten times more likely to suffer from depression. I was acutely aware that with all the loss and adjustment to a new way of life that I hadn't chosen, and pervasive fear of never recovering, increased isolation and depression became a very real possibility.

What I discovered is:
- therapy is incredibly practical - I have developed ways of recognising when I am in a pattern of thinking that "doesn't serve me" (therapy speak) and I'm now equipped with changing the narrative in my head. Simple yet effective.
- therapy gave me insights - into how the nervous system works, how our beliefs shape our interpretation of the world, and how trauma impacts so many aspects of life.
- therapy gave me a mirror to understand far better how I 'tick' - my default modes of thinking that resulted in feelings which triggered post-concussion symptoms that resulted in self isolating behaviour and a downward spiral. I'm now equipped to prevent and reverse that spiral.

So now I'm of the opinion that "the sort of person who needs a Therapist" is the sort of person who's done a bit of life. It is the most sensible, practical, applicable and long-lasting support that I can imagine, and I will continue with it long after my post-concussion challenges have (hopefully) gone. And if they remain, I'm better equipped to handle what life throws at me, thanks to seeing a Therapist.

I hope that's helpful to someone out there. 💪