I’m Not in Crisis- Do I Really Need Therapy?

Signs You Might Benefit from Therapy (Even if You’re Not in Crisis)

Therapy is often associated with times of crisis or severe emotional distress. Media may portray therapy as a last resort for getting mental health support- as if therapy is only needed if all of the self-help techniques have failed.

However, mental health support can be invaluable even when life feels manageable. Yes, seeing a licensed therapist can be an important resource in getting through a crisis. AND, therapy can be a huge benefit to you as you continue learning and growing throughout the different stages of life!

Here are some signs that you might benefit from therapy, even if you're not currently facing a significant challenge.

1. You feel a bit uneasy most of the time

If you find yourself feeling consistently uneasy or anxious without any clear reason, it may be an indicator that you could benefit from talking to a professional therapist. Feelings of unease tend to come from somewhere- even if we don’t know where that is. In fact, it can be especially challenging if we don’t know where the unease is coming from!

Therapy can help you explore these feelings and identify underlying issues that may not be immediately apparent. This ongoing anxious feeling may be showing up as a result of some unresolved trauma or attachment wounding from our childhood, a pattern of disconnection to our values, or a lack of direction in life.

Humans are relational beings- meaning we need each other to learn and grow. A therapist is trained to hold space for you, help you explore your emotions and experiences, and support you as you work towards your goals. Knowing where our emotions come from makes a world of difference in how confident we feel navigating our day to day life.

2. You’re having a difficult time managing stress

There are so many external stressors in the world we live in today- and it makes sense to struggle managing it all. The thing is, most of us were taught what we were supposed to do in regards to school and work, but not many of us were taught how to actually hold space for what we are going through. You may feel like everything looks good on paper, but underneath it feels overwhelming.

A mental health professional can help you explore what’s going on under the stress as well as help you build coping skills to manage it. When you work on stress in therapy, you get to unpack what themes tend to trigger stress, implement stress management skills that actually feel helpful for you, and adjust your perspectives and goals so that you move forwards in a way that aligns with your values.

3. You’re experiencing challenges in your relationships

Struggles in personal or professional relationships often signal a need for external support. Relationship challenges may stem from miscommunication, people pleasing tendencies, or difficulties with boundaries. If you notice recurring conflicts with loved ones or colleagues, therapy can help you improve communication skills, understand relational dynamics, and foster healthier interactions.

Often, the work we need to do to support our relationships is internal. Unresolved trauma or attachment wounds, insecure self-worth, or emotion dysregulation can have a significant impact on our relationships. In therapy, you can work through underlying experiences that may be having an impact on how confident you feel in your interpersonal effectiveness skills.

In addition to individual counseling, many find a benefit in relationship counseling. Working with a therapist for couples therapy, marriage therapy, or family therapy can support you in building relationship skills together.

4. You’re feeling stuck or unfulfilled

If you feel like you're stuck in a rut or unfulfilled in various areas of your life, therapy can assist in identifying and clarifying your goals. Many of us grew up knowing what others want for us and feeling pulled to meet that potential with little space to explore what we actually want. This can result in being in a line of work we don’t feel satisfied in, feeling confused in our relationships, or just feeling disconnected from our goals.

In therapy, you can take the time and space to explore what truly feels fulfilling for you. You can learn more about yourself, your values, and your goals. A therapist can support you in mapping out actionable steps to create positive change and a more satisfying life.

5. You want to build a better daily routine

Many struggle to have a consistent routine that supports them. Maybe you know that you need to use your phone less, get to bed earlier, and move your body every day- but you just can’t seem to make any new practices stick.

Often, struggling with a routine isn’t due to a lack of knowledge, rather underlying things are making those routine shifts more challenging. For example, many struggle to reduce screen time because it serves as a coping skill to deal with uncomfortable emotions.

A licensed therapist can help you not only identify what type of routine and self-care will support you best, but also will help you work through what’s getting in the way so that your routine can actually be a sustainable practice.

6. You’re going through significant life transitions

Transitions such as new jobs, moving, or changes in family dynamics can be overwhelming. Even the changes that we want or are very excited about can bring on stress. Transitions in life tend to have a way of letting us know our own areas for growth and development. We may notice unexpected grief, difficulty letting go of control, or challenges in our relationship.

Therapy can provide a safe space to explore your feelings, make sense of your experiences, and adjust to new situations more effectively. Not only will you feel more supported through this new change in your life, but you’ll also feel like you’ve grown more into yourself in the process!

7. Emotions are impacting your daily life

As humans, we all experience emotions. And, sometimes emotions can feel complicated or seem to get in the way of our daily tasks. Emotions give us information about experiences we are going through and can motivate us to make choices that are important to us. However, the world we live in can make it feel difficult to give our emotions the attention they need.

A mental health professional can help you to explore your own experience of emotions, learn the function of different emotions, build coping skills to navigate emotions, as well as help your awareness of emotions work for you. When we have a better understanding of our emotions, we are better able to respond to situations in ways that align with our true values and goals.

8. You are ready for personal growth and development

Seeking self-improvement and personal growth is a legitimate reason to explore therapy. Throughout life, we all grow and change. Different seasons of life may require different goals, boundaries in our relationships, and approaches to self-care.

At times, being in a phase of personal growth can feel confusing. We may feel uncomfortable with change or feel lost in what direction we are growing in. If you want to better understand yourself, explore new perspectives, or build skills for emotional regulation and self-acceptance, a therapist can guide you on your journey.

9. Past unresolved issues keep popping up

Lingering feelings from past experiences—whether they relate to trauma, loss, or unresolved conflicts—can affect your current mental state. You may feel like since these feelings are from the past, they aren’t worth processing now. You might feel like you should be over it by now.

But, we hold onto our lived experiences. Something that occurred to us 20 years ago still may have a significant impact on how we view the world, ourselves, and others. Therapy offers a constructive environment to work through these unresolved issues, allowing for healing and connection to more future-oriented goals.

10. You are not feeling as confident in yourself as you would like to

Many of us feel that we need to do things or be a certain way in order to feel worthy. This can leave people feeling that they are only “good enough” if they perform well in work, hit relationship milestones in the ways their family does, or make a certain amount of money.

While goals that align with our values and emotions can be important to connect to, feeling that we have to earn our self-worth can lead to anxiety and depression. In therapy, you can work to explore what stories you connect your self-worth to, unlearn unhelpful perspectives, and connect to a sense of inherent self-worth.

Not only does building a sense of confidence and self-worth often feel better, but it also helps you to navigate your short and long-term goals with more ease.

You don’t have to do it all alone.

Recognizing the signs that you might benefit from therapy is the first step towards improvement. Whether experiencing mild discomfort or seeking personal growth, therapy can provide insights and tools to enhance your overall well-being. Remember, seeking help is not a sign of weakness—it is an investment in your mental health.

At Minnesota Attachment Collective, we believe that everyone deserves a safe space to process their experiences, learn more about themselves, and grow. We offer individual as well as couples/relational therapy for those in Minnesota. Check out our services here and our providers here!