Therapy Saves Lives: Simone Biles Breaks the Stigma
Simone Biles has used her platform, speaking out to the world about the importance of addressing mental health issues. Biles told reporters at a press conference after winning the individual all-around medal, “Three years ago, I never thought I’d step foot on the gymnastics floor again just because of everything that had happened.” Simone Biles Says Therapy Helped Her Win Paris Gold Post-Twisties (womenshealthmag.com) Biles has been candidly open about how the abuse she suffered at the hands of former Olympic doctor, Larry Nassar, and how that has exacerbated her mental health problems.
Mental health should not be a thing we are afraid to talk about. Most of us have experienced stressful life events, trauma, medical illness or the loss of a loved one. Many of us may have been given the message that asking for help or seeking psychotherapy to deal with our problems is a sign of weakness. The stigma about having mental health issues has dissuaded many people from getting the help they need from trained professionals in the psychology field.
Soon after I started attending therapy sessions, I started working as a therapist. Early in my healing journey, I saw the hope and power that came from having a witness and someone to guide me and help me work through painful thoughts and feelings. Many people have asked me what therapy is and how it can help. Talking to a therapist allows us to talk about issues and situations that prevent us from living the life we want. For many of us, therapy is a space where we can begin to shed shame and face fears that come from earlier life experiences. Biles has spoken openly about how her therapy sessions have helped her to manage memories and flashbacks associated with her past traumas.
I started going to therapy in my mid-twenties, which I believe helped me to save my life! I found my therapist months after I started working in the psychology field. At the time, I was feeling hopeless, disconnected and ashamed about my past. I knew I needed to get help and address the root of my pain, stemming from the abuse I suffered for years in my childhood. For over twenty years, I attended weekly sessions to manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression.
The benefit of therapy is often overlooked and misunderstood. Therapy cannot cure us of our mental health ailments. Therapists cannot fix our problems or make our earlier life traumas or losses disappear.
Therapy gives us an opportunity to express our feelings and talk about whatever is on our mind. Taking time to focus on our mental well-being helps us handle difficult situations by developing coping mechanisms that we can implement in different situations. Talking to a therapist helps us get in touch with our emotions and find ways to place feelings that are getting triggered in the moment.
Going to counseling will not solve our problems overnight. However, over time the work we do in therapy can help us look at each situation with more clarity and understanding. Having someone we can share our deepest thoughts with allows us to be vulnerable and feel less alone. If you give yourself permission to open up and trust in your therapist, you will be able to face obstacles that get in your way!
Therapy is all about sharing and feeling our emotions. It is a healthy outlet because we all need someone to talk to. Most of us have goals or things we want to accomplish. Throughout the years, I have counseled men and women who have survived some type of loss, trauma or abuse. Many clients come to therapy feeling broken, damaged or unworthy of living the life they want. With dedication, openness, and hard work, clients are able to develop coping strategies and face fears that have gotten in the way of succeeding in their life goals. I have witnessed the power of therapy and how it has enabled clients to have healthier relationships and more success at their jobs. As Biles has stated on numerous occasions, going to therapy is not a sign of weakness. Clients have told me that going to therapy has saved their lives. There is nothing weak or shameful about talking to a professional who can help us deal with loss, trauma or difficult life events.
