Do I need Therapy? 7 Signs you should talk to a therapist
How to know if therapy could help
If you have been feeling stuck, exhausted, or overwhelmed lately, you might be wondering - Is this normal? Do I need therapy?
Many people struggle with this question and are unsure if their problems are ‘serious enough’ or if therapy would actually help. It is quite understandable that you aren’t sure if therapy is the way to go especially if you are high functioning.
So if you wonder: “How to know if therapy is right for me?” Ask yourself instead: “If what is bothering me would magically disappear, would I feel more contentment and joy in life?” If the answer is yes, then you should have a chat with a therapist to discuss what your mental health support could look like.
Therapy isn’t only for people with severe mental health problems - it’s also for those looking to find purpose, improve relationships, build self-esteem, navigate career changes, or simply feel more contentment in life. Many women also come to therapy to leave difficult past experiences behind or because they struggle with motherhood, pregnancy or postpartum.
Sometimes, it just helps to talk through certain topics with a professional. Therapy can be beneficial in the pursuit of any goal, no matter what that goal is.
Here are some examples of things I have helped clients with in our sessions:
Improving their relationship with food, dieting, and body neutrality
Building self-esteem and supporting the pursuit of a new career path
Working through childhood abuse and sexual violence
Gaining new perspectives on big life transitions (breakups, becoming a parent, job changes, etc.)
Developing better ways to manage stress or deal with anxiety and depression
This is just a small selection of possible topics, and I hope it helps you understand that there really isn’t any problem too “small” to seek therapy. You deserve support in getting to where you want in life. If you're still unsure, here are seven signs that therapy might be a helpful next step.
7 Signs You Might Benefit From Therapy
1. Your emotions feel overwhelming, confusing, or hard to control.
Emotional regulation can be difficult when life is adding extra stress (like big life transitions, career, university, motherhood etc.) or when we weren’t able to learn to regulate ourselves during childhood.
Strong emotions often go hand in hand with persistent thoughts that can feel intrusive and add to a downward spiral of rumination, anxiety or depressive feelings. Therapy provides a safe space to explore these emotions and learn ways to navigate them.
2. You feel exhausted, stuck, or like you're barely holding things together.
A common sign that therapy could help is feeling like you’re at your limit - whether it's emotionally, mentally, or physically. If you find yourself thinking, “I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” it’s a clear sign that reaching out for support could be beneficial.
Therapy can help bring clarity, relief, and a new sense of direction. You shouldn’t have to “just push through it” for the rest of your life or this particular chapter.
3. You are struggling with motivation.
Maybe it’s been harder to get out of bed in the morning, complete daily tasks, or pursue things you once enjoyed. Whether this is linked to burnout, depression, or simply feeling lost, therapy can help uncover the root cause and give you tools to regain momentum. If you don’t have the strength for life or the head space to manage it, a therapist can support you.
4. Your inner critic is loud, and self-doubt is holding you back.
Do you constantly second-guess yourself? Feel like you're not good enough? Struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing? Low self-esteem can impact everything - from relationships to career choices.
If your inner voice puts you down instead of lifting you up, then it’s high time to challenge those beliefs with professional support. Therapy can help you reframe negative self-talk, build confidence, strengthen your sense of self-worth and learn how to set healthy boundaries.
5. You feel overwhelmed with life.
Life can be chaotic, and sometimes it feels like too much to handle. Whether it’s due to work stress, personal responsibilities, or emotional overload, therapy can help you find clarity and develop coping strategies to manage stress. Together we can get clear on your priorities and map out the next steps so life slows down and feels good again.
6. You have experienced a traumatic event.
Trauma can take many forms - accidents, childhood neglect, sexual violence, the loss of a loved one, miscarriage, or any experience that has deeply affected you. Even if the event happened years ago, its impact can linger.
Often women will tell me that they really should be able to move on already or they wonder why, now that their life is going well, their past trauma comes back to haunt them… it often is like that. Once you are stable enough your heart, soul or brain (however you want to call it) will tap you on your shoulder, asking you to deal with the hurt that was caused.
You don’t have to live with ghosts. This is your life and you can take back your story. Therapy provides a space to process, heal, and move forward.
7. You suspect you might have a mental health condition.
If you’ve ever thought, “Do I have anxiety?” or “Is this depression?” - you’re not alone. Therapy is a great place to explore these questions and get guidance on what’s really going on, without pressure or judgment.
Again, this is by no means a complete list of signs that therapy could be a good idea, but they are some of the more common ones. If you are asking yourself whether you should go to therapy, it is absolutely valid to book a session or two to figure out what you need.
How Therapy Can Help
Often, we feel isolated in our struggles and sometimes even ashamed for not being okay. But the reality is, we are not meant to carry everything on our own. Therapy benefits are:
A non-judgmental space to process emotions and experiences
New perspectives on life challenges and difficult situations
Strategies and coping tools for dealing with stress, anxiety, or trauma
Validation a reminder that your feelings and struggles are real and deserving of support
A dedicated time and place to sort out your thoughts and emotions. This is an underrated aspect of therapy, do not underestimate what an hour of strategic problem solving can do for your busy mind.
What to Do Next
Find a therapist and book an Intro Call! If you recognize yourself in any of these signs, and wonder if therapy might be beneficial I invite you to not overthink it and book an Intro Call. Women often worry they are wasting someones time but consider how much of your peace you might be wasting with waiting until it’s “bad enough”.
What happens in an Intro Call?
An Intro Call is just a conversation to explore if online therapy is the mental health support you need and/or if there are other paths that could be beneficial for you. I am big on connecting people with the right services because there are many amazing health professionals out there. In any case, the goal is for you to walk out of our meeting with either a new contact or the knowledge that you took the first step to take care of yourself through starting therapy.
How do I find the right therapist?
You might wonder, but how do I find a good therapist? From personal experience I know that it is not easy to find a therapist that fits. This is why I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to find the right therapist.
Are you curious whether we would be a good fit? You can book a free consultation to see how we can work together. I want to empower you to feel confident and create a life that you love.
You don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out. You deserve support!