Getting a Brain Massage (AKA Therapy or Counseling)

“Doing something prompts you to do something else, replacing a vicious cycle with a virtuous one. Most big transformations come about from the hundreds of tiny, almost imperceptible, steps we take along the way.” – Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

What’s on your mind today? The world is a crazy place right now, and it is hard not to be a little bit anxious or depressed about everything. It can feel hopeless, like something you want to sweep under the rug and hide. I can tell you from my experience, one of the best ways I’ve found to fight it is to talk to someone about it. Let me tell you about a little something I like to call a “brain massage,” but it’s also known as therapy or counseling.

When I first decided I needed to see someone about my depression and anxiety, it was scary. How do I make the call? Who do I call? I hadn’t heard many friends or family talk about going to therapy or suffer from depression or anxiety. So I took to the internet. I found a variety of names and numbers. The choices paralyzed me. I was scared to take the first step, so I didn’t do anything for a while. Then one day, I did it. I picked up my phone and took the first step to make an appointment.

When the time came for the appointment, I considered not going. However, I ended up taking another step to get in the car. Then I took another step and walked into the building. All those little steps led me to start talking to someone, which, in time, helped me improve my mental health.

By going to a brain massager (aka therapist), you loosen up and untangle the knots in your mind. While some sessions aren’t easy and can be painful, you often come out feeling lighter with a better understanding of who you are and how your mind works. Professional counselors have a variety of tips, tricks, techniques, and more to help you. There are still occasional days I get sad or anxious, but I have some resources and tools that help me cope now.

In the book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, author Lori Gottlieb talks about her work as a therapist and patient herself, examining life and mental health with wisdom and humor. At one point, I think she says it best “…we talk to ourselves more than we’ll talk to any other person over the course of our lives but that our words aren’t always kind or true or helpful—or even respectful. Most of what we say to ourselves we’d never say to people we love or care about, like our friends or children. In therapy, we learn to pay close attention to those voices in our heads so that we can learn a better way to communicate with ourselves.”

We have to start taking care of our mental health and remove any stigmas as a society. Going to therapy should be no different than going to the dentist to take care of your teeth. I’ve had four root canals (ummm…needless to say I have a sweet tooth). If I didn’t see a dentist for any of those, they could have resulted in a dangerous, life-threatening infection. If depression is left untreated, it can also be a life-threatening situation. That’s why it’s so important to shine a light in the darkness and talk about it.

So….let’s get talking. Pick up the phone, write an email, send a text. Talk to a counselor. Or maybe if you aren’t ready for that, talk to a friend, family member, or co-worker. It only has to start with one step.

As a Xanterra employee, you can call the employee assistance program to get started (888) 293-6948 or visit www.workhealthlife.com. You, your dependents, and all household members can contact master-degreed clinicians 24/7 by phone, online, live chat, email, and text. They can help you decide what type of mental health professional will work best for you, based on your communication style and goals. Your program includes up to three face-to-face assessment and counseling sessions per issue. The EAP also provides support in other realms of life: financial and legal assistance, elder and child care, identity theft and fraud resolution.

If you are in crisis and need help now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifetime 1-800-273-8255 or text MT to 741-741.

There is a multitude of resources in both Wyoming and Montana. Visit your Human Resources office for more detailed information.

This awesome story was shared by beloved Marketing Staff Alumni Sarah Bierschwale, now working for the Appalachian Mountain Club.