How Therapy Ultimately Helps the Whole World
I go to therapy for myself and for my community
Some people believe helping themselves - whether it is setting boundaries at work, saying “no” to an event, or seeing a therapist - as doing something “wrong”, indulgence, or even selfish. Depriving ourselves of support, resources and time during non-emergency situations is encouraged for the sake of being a “good” employee, parent, spouse, friend, and person. And while we can all imagine the impact this type of system has on our individual experience, it can be harder to imagine the impact this individual mental and emotional starvation has on our community. So let’s contemplate that…
Mental Health and Social/Professional Relationships
Whether it is your relationships with co-workers, your boss, other parents at your child’s school, your child’s teachers, or your personal family and friends relationships - mental health plays a role in the health of these connections. An obvious statement is that relationships are interpersonal - between people.
But think a little deeper on that. If a relationship solely exists because two people are engaging in a connection, then that means the health of the connection is heavily and significantly impacted and modulated by the state of those two people. Have you ever been around a co-worker who is not capable of regulating their emotions versus a co-worker who is trained in nonviolent communication and uses those skills? Imagine the difference of the work environment when each of those coworkers are present. We also might know someone in our personal life where we’ve said, “I wish they would go to therapy,” about them. Take a moment to reflect if we’ve said this purely because we believed it would make this person’s life better or if we also thought that if our loved one sought out support for themselves, it would make our own lives better too.
Bottom line: when we care for ourselves, we are caring for our relationships as well.
Mental Health and Collective Work Quality
Let’s talk about the impact of our individual mental health on the quality of collective work. Have you ever worked on a team where some members were struggling to show up, be present or be engaged on the project? Thinking beyond how this impacted the team socially, how was the end product and the quality of the work impacted? What happens to the quality of collective work in medical treatments, infrastructure development, policy writing, and other large scale social efforts that require collaboration to be most successful? Too many times, the struggling person is told to push through their experience, but that’s like seeing a person without enough food (and thus a person with low energy) and deciding that taking away even more food will somehow make that person more energetic. This type of “squeeze them to their last” thinking works just enough to keep the system running for now, but many of us are seeing the cracks forming in the foundation of our ecosystem, both environmentally and socially, from this approach. Getting the struggling person support would not only help relieve their individual suffering but also contribute to the stabilizing and sustainable collective future.
Mental Health and Economy
Our lives are weaved with social and professional relationships, significantly impacted by collective work, and (for most of us) function on an economy. Unmet mental health needs - which disproportionately affects indigenious groups and people of color - impacts our economy. In 2018, it is estimated that the economic burden of major depressive disorder among U.S. adults was $236 billion. And while the economy impacts us monetarily and thus can lead to suffering, I propose that the focus of this point should not be on ‘how we can better the economy’ but on ‘how we can alleviate suffering in humans with the byproduct of a healthier economy’.
This is why I go to therapy. To help myself, to help my family, to help my community, and ultimately the world. Because the healthier I am, the healthier my ecosystem will be.
So here’s three ways for you to help yourself and your community
Consider what your needs are that you could potentially have met but have been denying yourself due to trying to be a “good” this or that. How can you meet that need?
Resource yourself by attending an amazing class or workshop. Whether it is a community college photography class that makes you feel alive or you want to learn how to be mindful, there are ways to do that. Join one of Reset’s amazing classes or workshops this winter to soothe, support and nourish yourself.
3. Donate for someone else in your community to get mental health support to help build a better community for yourself and to improve those individual’s lives. We are featuring four amazing funds!
The Coddiewomple Fund
A Michigan based 501(c)3 focused on providing financial assistance for those seeking to access mental health therapy regardless of insurance status
New Hope Center for Grief Support
A Michigan (Northville) based 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to bringing hope, healing, and new beginnings to adults and children grieving the death of a loved one
Warriors for a Healthy Mind (PCCS: Plymouth-Canton Educational Park)
Warriors for a Healthy Mind is PCEP’s official mental health club. Our mission is to educate and spread awareness about mental health and mental illnesses. We fundraise, coordinate events, and teach strategies to take care of your mental health
Color My World (Northville High School)
A mental health club that promotes awareness of student mental health and makes a positive impact at school to prevent teen suicide
May you be free from suffering and the root of suffering.
Warmly,
Anna
Anna is a Clinical Mental Health and Art Therapy Graduate Candidate at Wayne State University, and a Mental Wellness Coach and future Clinical Counseling Intern at Reset Brain and Body. She is a long-time blog contributor, meditation leader and teacher, and photographer. Reset Brain and Body is a mental wellness practice where traditional talk therapy is elevated through the integration of meditation, nutrition, yoga and mindfulness. Connect with Reset Brain and Body on Instagram & Facebook, check out the class schedule, or contact us to book an appointment.