In a world that now offers a multitude of instant gratifiers, it’s all too easy to dismiss the things that feel too time-consuming or have delayed responses. Therapy is something you can engage in that helps you to slow down and find your center in a fast-paced world.
If you drive up to a window at a fast-food restaurant, you can order and receive your food within mere minutes. Finding a new person to date can be as simple as scrolling through pictures and biographies on your phone and meeting them in person that same evening. Want a new tv? Amazon can deliver it to you in one day (or two, yuck!).
So with everything at the literal tips of our fingers, the journey of therapy can seem like a long and unattractive road to walk.
Did you know that it’s the emotional part of your brain that pushes you to make impulsive decisions and lean towards things that are instant gratifications? Although the logical part of your brain thinks about the long term, the emotional part becomes strengthened through the dopamine surges we get from “quick fixes.” This is why wanting to quickly fix an issue or figure things out in a session or two of therapy makes complete sense. The issues or emotions we are bringing to therapy are uncomfortable, and we want them addressed immediately!
Most people decide to begin therapy so they can feel better NOW.
Make that life-altering decision TODAY.
And therapists get it.
We also live in this fast-paced world and want you to get the results you need as quickly as possible. But the hard truth is… therapy takes time. As hard as we strive to help get you where you want to be… therapy takes time.
Therapy is a process in which things are slowed down and looked at through a new lens.
So try to consider, how long have you been looking through the current lens? Shifting your focus, unlearning a behavior, or making a substantial change in your life is a process that cannot be completed in one or two sessions.
Let’s also remember that it takes time to fully open up to your therapist.
After all, you’re telling them some of the most intimate things about yourself, things that you often don’t tell even your closest friends. So giving the therapeutic experience the time it calls for allows for the foundation to be set to start doing some amazing work. That foundation of the relationship with your therapist is vital. You cannot build a stable house without a foundation to build on!
Therapy is also one of the last remaining places where you are face to face with another individual, and without the distractions of your phone, kids, or other aspects of your life vying for your attention.
The therapy room is set up for you to be seen, heard, and met by another caring person.
Nowadays, there’s even text therapy available to you from the comfort of your phone. While this may feel like a better option for some, texting a feeling or experience can be difficult. Waiting for your therapist to send you a text response can be even more difficult. It also takes away from that feeling of being present with someone in sharing your life. Unfortunately, text therapy does not allow therapists to see a person’s lip quiver, hear a person’s voice crack, understand someone’s tone of voice, catch an eye roll, hear a laugh, or notice a teardrop. These human reactions are all essential to a fully therapeutic experience, and to help your therapist fully SEE you. And we all really want and deserve, to fully be SEEN.
Again, we know you aren’t used to having to spend months, even years, waiting to see results.
This can be a tough pill to swallow when considering therapy, but it’s important to do so. Allowing yourself time to grow and reflect in therapy is the only way to see long-term and genuine change. Time also gives us the space to dig deeper into parts of ourselves you may not have known were there, or haven’t been in tune with for a while. Getting to know these parts of yourself in a fuller and more authentic way can help you live a more enjoyable and fulfilled life, and is worth every second that it may have taken to get there.
Therapy invites you to slow down, to look deeper, to revel in the moment.
It’s full of opportunities to get to know yourself in the most intimate of ways and subsequently helps to guide your life in a more vibrant and comfortable direction. Call us, we’re here to help you slow down when you’re ready.
Ready to Start Therapy To Help You Slow Down, with a St. Pete therapist?
Beginning the journey to your best self is easier than most of the things we’re all doing right now! Therapy does not have to wait. You can get the mental health support you need with a skilled therapist in St. Pete or with online therapy in Florida. To begin, just follow these simple steps:
- Contact us to request an appointment
- Meet with one of our experienced therapists.
- Get support & begin your journey toward mental wellness & connection today!
Other Mental Health and Wellness Services at ME-Therapy
At ME-Therapy, we believe in the importance of mental, emotional & physical wellbeing. Our therapists want to help your mind but also want to feed your soul. This means we take a holistic approach to mental health. In order to do this, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our St. Petersburg office and online including therapy for women, therapy for men, trauma therapy, and holistic, spiritual therapy. For couples and relationships, we want you to know that our relationship therapists are here for you ALL. In addition to marriage counseling, we provide sex therapy, affair recovery counseling, and poly-friendly kink-aware therapy.
