By Jonathan TranPham, founder of reflect
Years ago when my roommate first suggested I go to therapy, let’s just say I didn’t respond with the most open mind.
I’d always been an advocate of therapy and have even recommended it to friends. But I never considered it for myself.
"Bad enough" for therapy?
I was sure I wasn't "bad enough" to need therapy. I was functioning overall and was used to managing stress solo. Sure, work was pretty hectic, and I wasn’t sleeping well -- but most of my friends had stressful jobs. And yes, I was frustrated with dating -- but who actually likes the dating scene in SF?
I knew I theoretically could benefit from therapy, but I was reluctant to even consider it. I was worried going to therapy would mean that I was weak or even worse, broken.
Looking back, I’m so glad my roommate pushed me to try.
She made some great points. I go to the gym 4-5x a week to stay physically fit, why shouldn’t I work on my mind too? And going to therapy was like going to the gym for my soul.
More than anything, hearing her personal personal experiences in therapy helped me understand what therapy actually was -- and what it wasn’t.
I decided to give it a try.
The best decision I've ever made
I appreciate having a venue to work on myself -- to talk through topics with a trusted and unbiased sounding board. Our sessions encourage me to question the assumptions I’ve made about my life that I didn’t even realize were holding me back.
Most importantly, the tools and techniques I’ve learned through therapy make me a stronger and more resilient person.
This experience has been so transformative that I started a company to help others unlock their full potential through therapy. Everyone can benefit from therapy, and our goal at reflect is to make the process of finding the right therapist easier than ever.
Like my roommate, I hope that my story encourages you consider therapy. 80% of those who work with reflect say they’ve noticed concrete and meaningful changes to their lives through therapy. And take it from me, it’s way less intimidating that I thought it would be.
You don’t have to be crazy. You just have to give it a try.