"Everyone around me says I would benefit from therapy, but I just don't see the point. What can someone else do to help me? Therapy is just talking, so what will I get from a therapist that I won't get from a friend? I don't know, I am just so hesitant to get started." – 31, NB, NJ

Some people are under the misapprehension that therapy is "for the weak". Whatever that means! This assumption, however, couldn't be further from the truth. Therapy in actuality is embraced by people who desire success, self-improvement, and betterment. Therapy allows us to expand our perspective, embrace change, and develop mastery in weathering the storm.

We've been taught to "rub dirt in our wounds" to keep the internal stuff internal, to not "blow up our problems". I can say this with certainty, this mindset is hurting you much more than it is helping you. Repression of emotional pain has the capacity to manifest a whole host of problems - interpersonally, romantically, physiologically, and behaviorally. So, let's say we acknowledge that repression of trauma may hurt us. Why should we share our experiences of trauma with a therapist rather than with a friend? First things first, this is not an either-or situation. It is instead a both-and situation. It is crucial to share our experiences of pain with friends & family. However, it is equally important to share such experiences with an unbiased, non-judgmental person who is completely removed from the inner workings of our life. Someone that can give us perspective, validation, affirmation, and, safety without influence or obligation.