Discussing the benefits of counseling and therapy at all ages: Your Wellbeing
NORTH ALABAMA (WHNT) — Counseling and therapy services are often hidden or not discussed because of the stigma surrounding them.
However, the need for these services is extremely common and they are beneficial for everyone, regardless of their past or struggles.
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“I used to keep my boundaries really, really safe,” said Katrina Christopher. “I used to keep walls up, and the reality is, that’s no way to live.”
Katrina Christopher is a North Alabama woman who has been in therapy for more than a decade. Now, she is bravely sharing her story.
“Well, I had a rough childhood, and, I’ve been in therapy for 12 years, and really, it’s changed my life,” said Christopher.
Through therapy, she has learned coping methods to help her day-to-day.
“See five things here, five things, smell five things, and go through all of your senses, it will help bring you out of panic attack, and that’s the one that I think I have found most beneficial for me,” Christopher said.
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But, it used to be different.
“It took me six years to date my husband,” Christopher said. “We were best friends, and it took me six years to let him in. So, that’s just an example of how… how much was trying to protect myself… by not letting people in, and by closing yourself off to the world, you’re really doing yourself a disservice.”
She says that counseling has liberated her from past trauma.
Morgan Hamrick is a licensed independent social worker, who offers counseling services at Vallis Mental Health in Madison.
“So, that’s the first thing I tell people, there’s nothing wrong with you,” Hamrick said. “You’re not broken at all.”
He said therapy is a way for a licensed professional to understand how your brain works and take some of its weight off of you, and he recommends regular appointments when first starting out.
“That allows me and them to establish a rapport, ” he said. “That is my first goal of therapy: report and trust. This has to be a safe place for you to come and talk about things.”
The passion stems from his past struggles, but he works every day for his patients to find the same freedom he has.
“Because I’ve done that hard work, I know what it’s like on the other side; I want people to know what it’s like to be free and to actually live your life and in a way that’s meaningful to you,” Hamrick said.
Although therapy is no easy task, these two are testaments of what hard work and dedication can bring.
“It’s just something that can benefit you if you’re willing to put in the work, and you’re willing to put in the effort because it’s not just, it’s not just you go to therapy and listen to this guy talk… you actually have to do the homework,” said Christopher.
Christopher offers some advice if you’re considering going to therapy for the first time.
“If you want to go to counseling, but you find a counselor that you don’t mesh with, always look for a new one. Don’t just give up because some people just don’t mesh well, and some people have methods that may not work for you,” she said.
However, the chance of finding a match and working through things together is worth it.
“To know everything that I went through, and to look at where I’m at now… It does make me really proud,” she said.
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