Paula Dickinson

Who Is Therapy For

Therapy is quite simply for everyone… however, an individual needs to come to that conclusion themselves and in their own time for it to make the greatest impact.

Some people have had troubled childhoods and have faced trauma that no one understands, if we have suffered through a troubled childhood, we may bring these issues into our lives now as adults without even realising it.

This could range from having a difficult family dynamic, where you now feel out of place or you’ve never felt quite good enough or you struggle to build relationships with other people or do you regularly try to please other people?

Throughout childhood, if toxic behaviour is displayed, a lot of children take these traits into adulthood… they are tough patterns to break, but it is possible with the help of counselling.

Therapy and is it right for you

Trauma

If you have suffered through consistent traumas throughout your life, it can often feel like you’ve been fighting your entire life.

This could result in daily fatigue, daily stress and a whole number of physical and mental side effects that you may think can’t possibly be related.

You may also feel lost and alone with no one to turn to, especially if you have been fighting these battles by yourself.

Trauma can affect different aspects of everyone’s lives completely different to others, and trauma can mean different things to different people and range from experiences such as divorce, ill health, abandonment, loss of a friend, unhealthy relationships… the list does go on and someone’s trauma may not be someone else’s.

It’s important to explore different ‘life moments’ to establish what could be causing your upset now.

Mental Health

A majority of people suffer from mental health without even realising it.

Some people suffer from depression and anxiety present their entire lives, others enter depressive states on and off and others have bouts of anxiety when a situation reflects a trauma they have been through in the past.

Chronic Illness

People who suffer from a chronic illness that is unpredictable and struggle with what seems to be small tasks, people who have recently recovered from illness or people who have a loved one who is or has been ill, whether that be physical or mental, would benefit greatly from therapy.

They may not recognise this as a trauma however anything that is a life-changing event is a trauma and support around this can be invaluable.

Especially when people suffer from invisible illnesses, that in itself can be traumatising as they may experience the world as a cold and invalidating and judgemental place.

All trauma is valid!

Neurodivergence

People who have been diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition such as ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), may wish to explore these conditions and work through how they affect them on a day-to-day basis.

It may be you don’t have a diagnosis but suspect that maybe you do have a neurodivergent condition and you wish to explore how you feel about it.

Grief

Grief is not a linear process and people who have experienced loss whether it be sudden or unexpected may experience grief in waves.

One moment, you could be feeling you’re improving and the pain isn’t too hard to bear but grief can creep up on people in several different ways and can come on suddenly.

At this moment, you may need someone to talk to who can listen compassionately and provide reassurance that you’re feelings are valid.

Many people, after a loss, sometimes struggle with feelings of happiness… they feel guilt momentarily and these feelings need to be explored to help you come to terms with the range of emotions you are going through.

Grief covers many different areas… you may be grieving the person you once were, or a relationship that has ended, or you may have decided to break ties with a family member or friend.

Any type of grief should be explored to ensure you have processed your emotions and can make positive steps in the next stage of your life.

Abuse

Abuse can present in many different ways and it affects us all differently. You may have suffered sexual assault, emotional or physical abuse, coercive control, have an ex-partner who is trying to abuse you through shared children or blackmail, or you may not be aware that the treatment you have received is abuse… exploring unhealthy relationships can help you realise what you have been through and help you start your journey to becoming the person you would like to be.

Abuse can affect people who are going through it currently or people who have suffered through it historically.

When you have suffered in this way, it’s extremely helpful to work through breaking down your abusers’ personality, they may suffer from a personality disorder or have suffered through trauma themselves… in these instances, understanding what may have caused them to behave in the way they have can help you feel like they have less power over you and your emotions.

There are many steps to take when working through any kind of abuse… the first step is feeling ready to talk.