Therapy is an incredible place to begin exploring your mental health. You will have someone listen to you unconditionally (no interruptions, no judgements, only compassion, empathy and love). It’s a great place to begin learning about and working through issues that your family and community may not have been perfect with. These issues include: attachments (how we relate and bond to others), boundaries (how we protect ourselves even when it disappoints others), behavioral patterns (why we do the silly things we do), and more.
There are many different types of therapy, with talk therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT) being the most common. If you’re just starting out, CBT is a great place to begin. If you have known trauma, make sure your therapist is at least trauma-informed, if not fully trained in trauma healing techniques. This means that they understand how trauma affects the brain and body, and how to work with it to keep you safe throughout your sessions. Great techniques for working with trauma include EFT, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Experiencing.
If you try it and hate it, just know that each person is unique and it may be the therapist you didn’t jive with. Switching therapists is common. Keep trying until you find someone you connect with and feel you can trust.
This directory is through Psychology Today, one the main national directories for therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists in the US. (There are hundreds of directories, organizations and individual therapist pages that you can find through a simple internet search.)