Do You Need a Therapist?
Let’s Talk
By Margaret Briller
In this stage of our lives, many of us have coped with life’s stresses, realized our abilities and limitations, figured out how to learn and work well, and contributed to our community.
We’ve developed the resilience muscle—the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. But if you have a nagging feeling that the little voice inside you needs to talk to someone in the mental health field, take a thoughtful approach before you sit down for a session.
Yes, You
Therapy can be helpful for two reasons, says Dr. Patrick Runnels, psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer of Population and Behavioral Health at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. “If you feel you are struggling with specific issues in your life (death of a loved one, a feeling of being ‘stuck’, tense relationships, or recent mood changes, for instance), or the need to treat a mental illness, a therapist might be very beneficial.”
People with mental health conditions often find psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” helpful. The type and length of your therapy will depend on your situation and insurance, and your therapy may be part of an overall treatment plan that could include medication or other treatments.
Take the time to research the credentials of local therapists to find a good fit. “Among the most important considerations are what is most likely to help you open up and feel comfortable and positive about the therapist,” Dr. Runnels says.
“For many, that means seeing someone who is demographically similar to them (race, gender, sexual identity, etc.) while others feel that’s not important. While we don’t have specific evidence on age matching and therapy outcomes, general training includes preparation for managing the types of issues experienced by those 55 and older. But if a therapist feels like they’re not ‘getting’ you or a quick conversation doesn’t feel comfortable, then try someone else.”
For those with a mental illness, therapy can be an evidence-based intervention that relieves symptoms without any side effects of medications.
“While medications can be great, they don’t build skills and help people rethink problems in their lives,” says Dr. Runnels. “For those who don’t have a mental illness but have problems, therapy also has strong evidence for helping resolve those problems. Marriage counseling is a perfect example. It really works to improve relationships. Finally, and this is important: People sometimes presume that therapy is forever. That simply is not true. The benefits of therapy are typically realized within two to three months, and the vast majority are time-limited interventions that proceed for less than a year.”
With the popularity of virtual doctor visits for appointments, virtual care has substantially improved the accessibility of therapy to those in remote locations, homebound patients and working adults. However, Dr. Kenneth Koncilja, a geriatrician at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Geriatric Medicine, recommends patients try to meet their therapist in person for the initial session.
“Establish rapport with face-to-face visits first,” he says. “Then subsequent follow-up visits can be either in person or virtual. I always recommend periodic in-person therapy because the physical body language and emotion in the room can be palpable.”
Talking with a therapist for the first time about personal issues can be tough, even if it can help you come to grips with problems in your life. It can offer an emotional release and a sense of really being heard, understood and supported.
“Therapists are trained to help you examine your own cognitive process,” Dr. Koncilja says. “They are trained to address a myriad of mental and behavioral health issues and can also help with crafting healthy preventive strategies to improve resilience in the future.”
Check with your insurance provider to confirm your coverage for therapy. While many therapists don’t take insurance, many do, and it can be more affordable to find someone in your insurance network.
