Will therapy help me?
“Will therapy help me?” is a common internet search phrase. Of course, the answer is ‘it depends’. People go to therapy for so many different reasons. When you combine the hundreds of different reasons with the millions of different experiences people have, there is no way to definitely answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Additionally there are a myriad of treatment modalities, methods, and theories used in therapy. However, mindfulness therapy can help and there is research to prove it.
But first, consider this:
“Therapy can’t change the other people in your life, but it can change the way you interact and respond to others in your life. ”
Next, if you want to go to therapy for you, not to change someone else, then keep reading.
Mindfulness therapy is effective
A 2018 meta-analysis of research studies evaluating the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy over 142 random controlled trials concluded mindfulness interventions are effective. The studies totaled over 120,000 individuals and it found mindfulness therapy was better than other types of mental health treatment. The meta-analysis also found the most consistent evidence for mindfulness-based interventions for people experiencing depression, pain, smoking, and addictions.[1]
. References
Goldberg, S., Tucker, R., Greene, P., Davidson, R., Wampold, B., Kearney, D., Simpson, T. (2018). Mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, (59), p52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.011.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP23-07-01-006, NSDUH Series H-58). Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report
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Trauma-informed Therapy
If you suspect you have experienced a trauma, therapy can help. However, working with a trauma-informed therapist is necessary. They understand how our bodies hold trauma for a reason. The trauma-informed therapist knows your body is waiting for the right time for you to revisit the trauma. You will collaborate with therapist on when the right moment is to let in compassion, tenderness, and empathy . Once this warmth can be let in and the you do not feel alone, the trauma can be resolved.
Trauma is hard to assess and diagnose by medical or some mental health professionals. Most are not trained in trauma-informed assessment. Many people are living their lives with held trauma that is missed by health professionals. Diagnoses of personality disorders or chronic illnesses are often used applied to people for buried traumas.