Am I Ready for Therapy? How to Know When It’s Time to Get Help

Seeking support for your mental health is an important step, but it can also feel like a big decision.

If you’re weighing up whether to speak to a counsellor, you’re not alone.

Many patients ask themselves if their situation is serious enough to warrant counselling, but you should know that there is no rule for when to get help, and you don’t need to be facing an emergency to want to improve your mental state or the way you interact with those around you.

Moreover, counselling can be highly effective when you seek help before reaching a crisis point.

At Sentient Professional Wellbeing, we have extensive experience in delivering targeted and effective therapy tailored to meet your individual needs, with the aim of improving both professional and personal well-being.

Our approach is designed to foster resilience, promote growth, and support lasting positive change.

Not sure if you’re ready? Let’s talk about it.

What are the benefits of therapy?

Therapy can help you develop healthier and more effective coping strategies, and work towards developing a higher level of personal and professional wellbeing.

Starting therapy is a step towards self-care, self-empowerment, and gaining a new understanding of yourself and the world around you.

This can be a great place to learn new coping strategies that can empower you and better prepare you for life's future challenges.

Here are some of the other benefits:

• Improved coping strategies : Therapy helps you develop healthier ways to manage stress.

• Increased self-awareness : You can gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, including where they stem from.

• Enhanced emotional resilience : Learn how to better tolerate distress and bounce back from difficult situations.

• Improved relationships : Therapy improves communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills, which can greatly improve personal and professional relationships.

• Personal growth : Work towards emotional and psychological growth, empowering you to become the best version of yourself.

Types of therapy

At Sentient Professional Wellbeing, we use evidence-based treatments.

These are therapeutic approaches that have been tested thoroughly, backed by scientific research, and proven effective through rigorous clinical trials.

Some commonly used evidence-based treatments that you may find in therapy are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), among others.

Depending on the therapist you see, and the specific issues you’re facing, they may use one of these commonly utilised therapy types:

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT aims to identify and change negative thought patterns and break free from harmful cycles that contribute to emotional distress.

By addressing distorted thinking, CBT can replace maladaptive thought patterns with more balanced, realistic thinking.

2. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a form of mindful psychotherapy that provides strategies to help individuals navigate difficult thoughts and emotions with greater mindfulness and adaptability, as opposed to trying to eliminate these thoughts completely.

3. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

DBT was developed to treat individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder, but has since been adapted for other conditions, including mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

DBT combines elements of cognitive-behavioural therapy with mindfulness and distress tolerance.

4. Schema Therapy

Schema Therapy identifies and addresses maladaptive schemas, which are deeply ingrained patterns of thoughts and emotions that develop early in life.

These schemas often stem from childhood experiences and affect how individuals see themselves, others, and the world.

This kind of therapy often involves revisiting early experiences to identify what created these schemas.

5. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a psychotherapy technique mainly used to treat trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

This technique involves a structured eight-phase process where patients focus on distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation (in most cases this means guided eye movements).

How to know when you’re ready to see a Mental Health Professional?

Therapy offers a safe, welcoming, and non-judgmental space to explore your feelings, challenges, and experiences.

For many, going to therapy is a chance to open up about what’s happening in your personal life, and can be particularly helpful if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or like you want to understand yourself on a deeper level.

It can also be a healing place for those who have experienced discrimination, bullying, and mistreatment.

Therapy can also be helpful for those experiencing life changes, whether that’s a sudden change of environment, a change in identity, or a change in emotional state in your everyday life.

If you think you might benefit from therapy, but aren’t sure if you’re ready, ask yourself:

Do I have a sincere desire to improve my well-being?

Real change stems from a sincere desire for transformation. If you truly want to improve your mental, emotional, or physical well-being, this commitment to transformation is what will help you stay on track when things get difficult.

Without this genuine desire, the process may not be as effective.

Am I ready to face challenging feelings?

Therapy or personal growth work often involves confronting uncomfortable emotions.

If you're ready to explore the meaning of your struggles or work through painful memories, you will find the therapeutic journey to be more beneficial.

Being open to feeling uncomfortable is a sign of readiness for real change.

Am I able to recognise a need for change?

Being self-aware and recognising that there are areas in your life that need improvement is the first step.

No one is perfect, and this understanding helps you open the door to personal growth.

Whether it’s recognising patterns in your habits or mindset, acknowledging the need for change is crucial for progress.

Can I tolerate distress?

During therapy, you’re likely to encounter situations or emotions that cause distress.

Building distress tolerance allows you to stay engaged in the process even when faced with difficult feelings.

Being able to experience and move through discomfort is a vital part of building lasting change.

Can I see a Mental Health Professional via telehealth?

A telehealth appointment for therapy is a consultation with a therapist that takes place over the phone or via video conference.

This is still a therapy appointment, and we ask that you move into a quiet space where you can sit comfortably and undisturbed for the duration of the session.

This option is great for individuals who aren’t able to visit our clinic in person, for various reasons.

This type of appointment will require a laptop or desktop computer with a working camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection.

Fees for telehealth appointments are the same as in-person appointments, with the added convenience of being able to join sessions from your own space.

They are also partially covered by Medicare, with a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Just let our friendly client care team know that you would like to join therapy via telehealth, and they will adjust your appointments accordingly.

Why choose Sentient Professional Wellbeing?

At Sentient Professional Wellbeing, our vision is to provide a holistic service that blends the emotional depth of psychology with powerful executive coaching tools to promote the well-being of individuals, working professionals, and couples.

Our work is centred around our core values of compassion and humanity.

Our team is comprised of experienced mental health p rofessionals including clinical psychologists, executive coaches, registered psychologists, counsellors, psychosexual therapists, and mental health coaches.

We understand that there can also be various cultural differences in the issues our clients may face.

We also have several therapists who offer multilingual therapy and can understand clients from a multicultural perspective:

If you're unable to travel to our practice, we offer telehealth appointments.