Mental Health Month: Unexpected Benefits of Mental Health Therapy
May is Mental Health Month, and what better time to talk about the benefits of mental health therapy? There are some obvious benefits of mental health therapy, for example:
A reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can greatly improve an individual's quality of life;
A safe space for individuals to talk about their stressors and emotions, which can help them feel more understood and less alone; and
A way to develop coping skills and strategies for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
However, what if you’re a person who doesn’t experience much or any anxiety or depression, you already have a less place to feel understood, and you have all the coping skills you need (in other words, an actual unicorn!)? Keep reading to learn three unexpected benefits of mental health therapy, in honor of Mental Health Month!
Improved Physical Health
While therapy is primarily associated with improving mental health, it can also have unexpected benefits for physical health. For example, studies have shown that individuals who engage in talk therapy have lower blood pressure, improved sleep, and better overall physical health. This may be due in part to the fact that therapy can help individuals learn coping strategies for managing stress and anxiety, which can have a positive impact on physical health.
Increased Creativity
Another unexpected benefit of mental health therapy is increased creativity. Therapy can help individuals access and express their emotions in new and creative ways, which can lead to increased artistic expression, innovation, and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, therapy can help individuals tap into their inner selves and explore their passions, leading to greater creativity and fulfillment in other areas of life.
Improved Relationships
Therapy is often sought out to address issues in individual mental health, but it can also lead to improved relationships with others. By developing greater self-awareness and communication skills through therapy, individuals can improve their ability to connect with others and build stronger, more fulfilling relationships. Therapy can also help individuals identify and address patterns in their relationships that may be causing difficulties or distress, leading to more positive and rewarding interactions with loved ones.
We hope this blog post helped inform you of a couple ways mental health therapy may unexpectedly help you! If you want to try it out for yourself, come talk to us. At Therapy Beyond Healing, we can collaborate with you to make real change and to make progress towards reducing your anxiety/depression, as well as improving your relationships, coping skills, creativity, physical health, and more. Reach out to us today to be paired with a clinician to help you on your healing journey. We look forward to hearing from you!