Mental Health Awareness Month: When Should You Talk to a Therapist?
- Redfish Counseling Providers
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Sydney Elder, LCMHC & Jenny Smith, LISW-CP, QS
Many people have the misconception that therapy is only necessary in moments of crisis—when everything is falling apart or something catastrophic has happened. In reality, therapy can be a helpful tool long before things reach the point of being unmanageable. Therapy is less about something being "wrong" with you and more about recognizing when extra support could help you through a challenging time and prepare for future difficult periods.
So how do you know when it might be time to start?
1. Your thoughts feel overwhelming or hard to control
Everyone has worries. If your thoughts are constantly racing, looping, or spiraling into worst-case scenarios, it can become exhausting and paralyzing. If you notice that your mind rarely feels “quiet,” or that you’re stuck in patterns of overthinking, therapy can help you understand the reason for these patterns and interrupt those cycles.
2. You’re experiencing persistent shifts in mood
Every emotion that we experience is part of being human, including feeling down, irritable, numb, or anxious. When those more difficult feelings stick around for weeks or months—or start affecting your daily functioning—it’s worth paying attention. Therapy offers a space to unpack what’s behind those uncomfortable emotions instead of just pushing through them.
3. You’re struggling to maintain relationships
If you’re running into the same conflicts with partners, friends, family, or coworkers, it may not just be “bad luck.” There are often communication patterns, boundaries, or emotional responses that show up across relationships that can contribute to conflict. Therapy can help you identify those patterns and develop healthier ways of connecting with loved ones.
4. Things look “fine” on the surface, but you feel stuck
Sometimes life appears stable, or we feel like we “should” feel better since we have the things we need or want. Even in these instances when things appear to be “stable,” you might feel unmotivated, directionless, or disconnected from your goals. That sense of being stuck is a valid reason to seek support, even if you can’t point to a specific problem.
5. You’re using coping mechanisms that aren’t helping long-term
Everyone copes with stress differently, but some coping skills are more sustainable than others. If you notice patterns of avoidance, excessive scrolling, substance use, or shutting down emotionally in your behavior, it may be a sign you need better tools. Therapy isn’t about taking coping away—it’s about expanding your options.
6. You’ve gone through a major life change or loss
Transitions—whether positive or painful—can be destabilizing. Moving, changing careers, ending a relationship, or losing someone important can all bring up complicated emotions. Therapy can help you process those experiences instead of carrying them unresolved.
7. You’re curious about yourself and want to grow
You don’t necessarily need to be struggling to benefit from therapy. There are lots of people who start therapy because they want to understand themselves better, improve their emotional awareness, or build a more intentional life. Wanting to grow is a perfectly valid reason to get started.
A Simple Way to Think About It
If you’ve been asking yourself the question, “Should I go to therapy?” more than once recently, it’s often worth exploring why that question is coming up. You don’t need to wait for things to get worse to justify seeking support.
Starting therapy doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It usually means you’re paying attention.
Sydney Elder, LCMHC
Sydney strives to help clients understand their experiences, values, and beliefs in a way that is meaningful to the individual. Sydney works from a person-centered perspective to help clients develop effective coping skills, identify areas for personal exploration and growth, and establish a framework for fulfilling needs in the future; which may look like exploring boundaries, cultivating communication skills and emotional awareness, and bringing awareness to and fostering the mind-body connection.
Jenny Smith, LISW-CP, QS
Jenny currently works with adult clients (age 18+) on issues ranging from life phase adjustment and transitions, to anxiety based disorders, trauma, grief and loss, and finding new ways of coping and moving forward from past challenges and difficulties. Jenny helps clients identify the ways they want to grow in their own life, find their strengths, and work to change patterns of behavior that are no longer working for them.
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