Talk Therapy - Do I Really Need It?

When you meet with a counsellor, you’ll often find yourself engaging in talk therapy. Talk therapy simply means talking with a trained and supportive mental health professional about whatever challenges, emotions, or patterns are showing up in your life.

Sometimes, therapy offers you practical tools and strategies to manage what you’re facing. Other times, it provides a safe space to slow down, reflect, and understand your history, feelings and the thoughts that may be shaping your perceptions and actions.

Many people begin therapy when things feel overwhelming, but you don’t need to be in crisis to benefit. Therapy can also be a space to explore your emotions, deepen your awareness, and get grounded.

Reasons You Might Reach Out

People come to therapy for many different reasons, including:

• You’re considering an education or career change and want space to talk through your thoughts and decisions.

• You’re feeling more stressed or anxious than usual, or you’ve noticed a significant shift in your mood.

• You’re seeing the same relationship pattern come up again and want to understand your boundaries, reactions, and needs.

• You’re thinking about changing your relationship to alcohol or other substances and want support in doing so.

• You’ve experienced a recent loss and are finding it hard to cope on your own.

These are just a few examples, but therapy can support you wherever you are in your life.

What Does Talk Therapy Do?

Therapy can support growth and healing in a variety of ways:

• Identifying and naming your emotions. When we don’t have words for what we’re feeling, it’s harder to understand or process our experience. Counselling helps you identify and express your emotions, and the core beliefs that may be the root of negative internal messages.

• Identifying past experiences can create beliefs that once protected you, but may no longer serve you. Therapy gives you space to notice, question, and reshape these beliefs.

• Increasing self-awareness. We all move through the world with our own lens. Therapy offers a fresh perspective, helping you see your actions, reactions, and patterns in the context of your relationships and environment.

• Supporting change. Humans are capable of learning and growth at any stage of life. Through therapy, your brain can take in new insights and skills that support shifts in your thoughts, behaviours, and choices.

What Should You Look For When Choosing a Counsellor?

It’s important to ensure the person you’re working with is trained and qualified to support you.

 In BC, this usually means they have completed a master’s program and are registered with a professional regulatory body such as:

• the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC), or

• the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

Most counsellors also offer a free 20-minute consultation. This is your chance to ask about their training, experience, areas of specialization, and the therapeutic approaches they use. Beyond credentials, research consistently shows that one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes in therapy is the relationship between you and your counsellor. Notice if you feel comfortable, heard, and understood when you speak with them. Those feelings matter.

If you have been thinking about connecting for support, reach out to me at Shelley@karrelcounselling.com.