Making the choice to take care of your mental health is a powerful step in the right direction. It requires courage to commit to working towards a more balanced life. However, chances are the next step isn’t all that clear.
When searching for a therapist in Philadelphia, you will come up against a few challenges. Throughout the US, access to mental healthcare is severely limited. More than 50% of American adults suffering from a mental illness are not receiving any form of treatment. That’s over 20 million people!
While Pennsylvania does fare slightly better than some other states, there are still far too many people who are suffering alone.
But with online therapy, we’re here to change that for the greater Pennsylvania. Welcome to ThriveTalk.
Start your search for a therapist today and you’ll be talking to an expert in no time. Our sleek, intuitive platform makes finding the right therapist a breeze. Sessions are streamlined to make sure you waste no time in getting the help you deserve.
Online Therapy is a New Method for an Old Treatment
What is online therapy?
Quite simply, online therapy is a new way to get to therapy. Effective treatment looks exactly the same as it always has, except you get to speak to your psychologist from the comfort of your home or office.
Online therapy uses video chat, voice chat, and even texting to give you access to treatment with just a few clicks. It has been shown to be as effective as, if not more than, traditional therapy.
If you’ve never seen a therapist in Philadelphia, you probably have some pressing questions about what therapy entails.
How Does Therapy Work?
In therapy, you share details of your life with your therapist. They guide you through the process of exploring how you’re dealing with your issues and how to effectively move forward.
The relationship between you and your therapist is the foundation of all therapy. While different therapists take different approaches and use different techniques, this is always the case.
The First Session
In the first session, your new therapist will orientate you to the process. They will spend time getting to know you and work on building a treatment plan with which you’re both comfortable.
First Impressions
During the first few minutes of therapy, you will get your first impressions of your therapist and the process itself. It will inevitably be a bit confusing at first, and maybe even feel overwhelming. Your therapist will ask you to share your first impressions and will share their own. They will make sure you feel comfortable and safe as you progress through the rest of the session.
Rapport
The right therapist will be able to build a rapport with you. This will not necessarily happen immediately. Some clients are more open to sharing than others. But the development of that rapport will begin in the first session. You will start to feel comfortable with them, and feel yourself opening up to sharing.
Therapy requires vulnerability, and it might take you a while before you feel safe to be vulnerable. The first session is a starting point, which will launch you on your way to a long-lasting therapy relationship.
Presenting Problem
Everyone has a particular reason for going to therapy. If you’ve been searching for a therapist in Philadelphia, you have a matter you want help dealing with. Maybe you’ve been experiencing symptoms of a mental illness. Alternatively, there are areas of your life you’d like help with improving or strengthening.
In the first session, your therapist will explore your presenting problem with you. You don’t need to know exactly why you want to see a therapist. Often, people seek therapy without being able to fully define the reason why. In the first session, you will work on defining what you want out of therapy.
Your therapist will use your presenting problem as a starting point, creating a treatment plan around it, while giving it the space to evolve and change over time.
Personal History
Your therapist will ask you to provide a brief personal history. They will ask about your parents and family, major milestones, losses, traumas, and anything else that has particular significance in your life. This is to help them get a context for your issues.
Your history can be a very good indicator of the way you’ve learned to cope with issues and deal with threats. Our defense mechanisms generally work indiscriminately. In some cases, this is helpful. In others, they are a hindrance. In therapy, you will work on adapting these mechanisms so that you have more control over how you live your life.
What Happens in Follow-Up Sessions?
In follow-up sessions, you will begin to work through the treatment plan your therapist has devised with you. You will gradually grow more comfortable sharing openly with your therapist. Your relationship will develop, becoming a more effective platform for your personal growth.
The nature of follow-up sessions very much depends on the approach your psychologist takes to therapy. Some therapists focus on guiding you as you work through certain personal narratives. Others teach you techniques to challenge distorted thinking that leads to anxiety and depression. Still others use mindfulness techniques to help you discover life in the present, experiencing emotions without judgment and attachments.
No matter who your therapist is, they will constantly reassess their conclusions, making sure they haven’t made inaccurate assumptions and adapting their ideas according to new information they learn from you.
Am I Going to Get Diagnosed with a Mental Illness?
Many individuals looking for a therapist in Philadelphia are suffering from a mental illness. They have identified the symptoms as causing significant difficulties in their lives and have decided to seek help with them.
This may resonate with you. A mental illness is incredibly disruptive to your day-to-day living, and seeking help is a huge step towards healing.
However, you don’t need to have a mental illness to seek and benefit from therapy. Therapy is for everyone.
You can take advantage of therapy to improve the way you deal with difficult situations, as well as the habits you form in relationships. You can bring more meaning to your life and better define your purpose.
No one is given a guidebook to life and everyone needs help sometimes. Therapy is the perfect space for this.
What Can I Do to Get the Most Out of Online Therapy?
Online therapy with ThriveTalk presents you with a great opportunity to change your life for the better. It can revolutionize the way you see yourself and relate to others. Your therapist will help ensure that you make the most out of your time in therapy.
Here are some tips to take into your first session with you.
Be Honest
Being honest about your most personal issues isn’t always natural. But therapy is designed to make it as easy as possible to share. Therapists are bound by confidentiality. They cannot legally share your secrets with anyone, unless they have strong evidence that you are a danger to yourself and others.
Make a commitment to being as honest as possible. Over time, as you become more comfortable with your therapist, you will find that you naturally start to share more.
Be Open-Minded
One of the difficulties you’ll deal with in therapy is your attachment to your familiar habits and coping mechanisms. Many people try to rationalize why they shouldn’t try changing. Be open-minded about what you’ll learn in therapy. Even if you feel defensive now, acknowledge that you may well come to change your interpretations or opinions of events and people in your life.
Therapy itself will sometimes seem counterintuitive. You might find yourself asking how the process will help you. You will need to be open-minded to benefit from therapy, trusting that you are speaking to a highly-qualified professional. ThriveTalk therapists use evidence-based techniques that have been shown to work.
Ask Questions
But being open-minded doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask questions. Your therapist will welcome any questions you have about them or the process. If something they say does not resonate with you, tell them, and discuss it with them further.
Questioning is helpful, as long as you are committed to getting to the answers. Your therapist will help you understand what may be confusing.
If you get hung up on certain questions, you can explore with your therapist why they bother you so much. Doubts are inevitable, and your therapist is the perfect person to assuage them.
Find Your Therapist With ThriveTalk
Get started on ThriveTalk today and you’ll be speaking to a trained professional in no time. Online therapy is a highly effective way of dealing with your issues. It gives you access to the help you need and deserve.
Finding a therapist in Philadelphia has never been easier. Click now to find the therapist who best matches your needs.
