Experiencing Therapy

By Mel

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Therapy can seem like a pretty scary thing to even think about let alone start. That’s what I thought anyway when I was told I would benefit from starting therapy.

My first therapy session, let’s say didn’t go well.. But that’s because I was new to it. I was new to my health condition, I was a young person dealing with something I knew nothing about.

I thought therapy was a jail where they kept you for an hour or two and made you sit to listen. But throughout the years, I came to learn it was the complete opposite.

A few therapy sessions down the line, I was starting to see some progress. But still, it was very hard for me to come to terms with what exactly I was dealing with and how serious it was! 

But I wasn’t the only one who found it hard, it was very hard for my parents too! During the time, I didn’t think anything of it. I justit I just thought I was being targeted but now I look back on it, I was completely wrong, they wanted to help me! 

A few things I learnt from my first time in therapy were; 

• That it will be hard to come to terms with what’s going on, and you won’t get an answer straight away but the more you continue the therapy you will achieve the answers. 
• It’s not just you that’s learning about what the health condition is or why you were referred to therapy for.
• You learn new stuff along the way that you never dreamed of learning.
• You gain new skills that will help you later on in life!
• That you do matter, so does your health.

Over the years, therapy becamebecome a weekly focus for me during high school. After school sessions, I would dread the most because I just wanted to go home but now when I go to therapy I look forward to it.

The reason I look forward to it now is that I feel like I can share my thoughts and feelings that I’ve been having and then get advice on what and how to deal with them. 

One of the best things I’ve gained from therapy is journalling, I spend a few moments a day writing in my multiple journals (yes I do have quite a lot!) But each journal has a specific topic, but also you can get creative with the pages too!

But also, from therapy, I found out what I want my future goal to be in life and that’s to become a mental health nurse or something to do with helping people who have experienced what I have. 

I want to share my stories and knowledge about mental health to guide people in the right direction. I have done various volunteering for mental health charities so that’s just the start of my journey​!