Let’s talk about how to know when it’s time to see a therapist.
Probably today. Honestly!
Remember all those things that happened back then — the things that you “just don’t think about?” Yeah. They’re still there.
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That person who spoke in such a way that sometimes you hear their voice coming out of your own mouth or that person you never wanted to be like, but now you find yourself doing exactly what they did — remember them?
The thing that gave you nightmares for so long you thought you would never shake it loose or the addictions that numb and cover what is empty or dead inside — am I speaking to anybody?
You are worried about your child but also worried that you will look like a “bad parent” or maybe that he or she is “just being a teenager?” Take your child to a therapist.
Your marriage or your family is falling apart or you just feel lonely, sad, confused or you are deeply grieving. All of those are subjects for a therapist.
The secrets that are eating you up inside — you don’t have to carry them alone.
Today is the day.
Find a therapist. Ask your pastor for a good one or just ask Google! Don’t be afraid to ask questions to make sure it is the right fit. The relationship you have with your therapist is important and should feel like a safe space for you or for your child.
None of this means something is WRONG with you. It means we are a bunch of humans living in bodies in a world where we are affected by sin and brokenness and it hurts.
Hope and healing
Thank goodness we don’t have to grieve like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13)! Hope and healing are possible so look for a highly trained professional who also knows Jesus to help you on your journey.
Know your Bible and start now. Test all things against Scripture which is true and good and right and holy. The Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3).
Dig deep in the word of God, connect to a gospel-centered local church and seek wise counsel so your soul is never led astray by willy-nilly emotions or days when it’s hard to see the forest for the trees or by the convictions that get lost in the culture.
When you feel hopeless, when you need an unbiased confidant, when it’s hard to see which direction to go, when you need someone to help you meet your goals, when diagnoses are stacking up or maybe they haven’t been diagnosed yet at all, when you need a professional hard-road-walker, that’s when you call a licensed therapist.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6)
You can do this, Christian, but you do not have to do it alone. Call a therapist if you think maybe I’m talking about you — because I am.
Freedom is available and today is the day.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Erin Goodman, a licensed clinical social worker at The Papillion Center, and originally published by Kentucky Today.
