{health and fitness}
You Don’t Need a Reason to See a Therapist by Paul Rivas
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herapy is really for everybody,” says Dr. Samantha Sweeney, a psychologist with Family Psychological Services of Capitol Hill (www.fpsch. com). “Just because you’re seeking therapy doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you.” Therapy is so worthwhile, and so prevalent, that if you personally don’t know anyone who goes to therapy it’s probably because you’ve been isolating yourself, and thus may need therapy. Just kidding! “I find it unfortunate and frustrating that our society has put such a stigma on behavioral health, but if it’s your teeth, or if it’s your heart, it’s fine,” says Dona Paknejad, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with Mind and Body Solutions, also on the Hill (www.mindandbodysolutionsdc.com). “My hope is that it will change, because therapy is health. It’s just health.”
Rethinking Therapy
Dona Paknejad, LPC
Dr. Samantha Sweeney
uals feeling inadequate. Capitol Hill therapists cite lots of good reasons to seek therapy, such as not feeling like yourself, wanting to share something with an impartial listener, or moving to the suburbs, to name a few. There are also lots of kinds of therapy, such as therapy for kids, adolescents, adults, or couples. Every therapist has her or his areas of expertise, but ultimately the efficacy of the therapy will be determined by the quality of relationship between the client and therapist. “There is a lot of research that says nothing is more important than that interaction,” says Gilborn. “It doesn’t matter how that therapist has been trained, what theories they’re using, or what techniques. What really matters is the connection between the two people.” Paknejad thinks therapy should be “a helpful relationship in your life that is not judgmental and that brings some support and implements some goals that you want to work on.”
Historically people waited to see Look for a Personal Referral a therapist until their physician Laelia Gilborn, LICSW Melissa Kilbride, LICSW Referrals from friends are always or psychiatrist referred them to a good way to find a therapist, but one due to a specific medical you get out of hanging out with a close friend or the websites www.psychologytotrauma. Nowadays anyone who a partner.” day.com and www.goodtherapy.org also make it has benefitted from therapy will describe it much Licensed independent clinical social workpossible to search for therapists by ZIP code, spelike Capitol Hill therapist Laelia Gilborn, LICer (LICSW) Melissa Kilbride explains that many cialties, or other traits, like gender or whether SW (www.psychologytoday.com) describes her people do seek therapy for specific purposes, parthey take insurance. Most therapists provide free own experience with therapy. “It’s sort of like goticularly in Washington, whose “culture of having 15-20-minute phone consultations, which tends ing to the gym or good nutrition: it’s good selfto overachieve or perform at a certain level, that’s to be ample time to get a sense of what the theracare,” reasons Gilborn. “I don’t see it as, ‘Oh, defined by making a certain amount of money or pist is like and whether they can help you in the no, this is the beginning of the end, I’ve lost my having a certain title,” can leave even the most ways that you want to be helped. Interview three mind,’ I see it as a very normal human experience pedigreed, accomplished, and successful individto five therapists in this way to be sure you have that still offers something very different from what
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