I wish I could say that it's hard to believe that more than half of the people we know and encounter daily are dealing with untreated mental health conditions.*
But my own experience makes me believe that number is true.
When my sons and I needed family counseling, it took us more than 18 months to find an available therapist who fit our situation. Unfortunately, that's a very common problem, and not limited to just my community. If someone is brave enough to seek help, overcome the cost, the stigma, and personal scheduling issues, they should not be met with a lack of available therapists.
So I was so glad to find BetterHelp.
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Enroll now and save 20% off your first month with BetterHelp.
BetterHelp offers an all-in-one comprehensive solution for feeling better and thriving. BetterHelp makes therapy simple, affordable, and convenient so people can get needed help.
BetterHelp promises that you can go from enrollment to being connected with your therapist within 48 hours.
However, I was able to enroll and schedule my first session within 30 minutes!
I knew from the enrollment process that BetterHelp would be a different and better experience for me. To get started, you complete a simple questionnaire about what you are looking for in a therapist, how you prefer to communicate, and what kind of tools you prefer.
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Enroll now and save 20% off your first month with BetterHelp.
Matched with a therapist in 30 minutes
I was sent my therapist match within 30 minutes of enrolling, and the match instructions provided me with detailed information about my therapist's experience, style, and methods.
Similar to a dating app, I could accept or reject the match. I accepted and scheduled my first session for the next day.
My therapist, Hazel, has a very warm and friendly personality, and I felt like I gained a wise big sister. I told Hazel I have 99 problems, but we could start by focusing on the feelings I'm experiencing as an empty nester.
Hazel provided practical advice, some tips for communicating and expressing my needs to my sons, and followed up with several worksheets.
Staying in touch and offering multiple tools
A few days later, Hazel messaged me about a group webinar — or "groupinar" — for Empty Nesters that is coming up. The availability of BetterHelp therapists through the messaging app is a game changer.
BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy program, offers many tools to help you become healthy and whole.
There are dozens of online "groupinars" addressing topics from relationship advice, boundaries with children, substance abuse, overcoming trauma, and so much more. I honestly think you could jump into BetterHelp and accomplish in a few months what might take years with traditional therapy. For example, I typically only work on one of the above topics per session with my local therapist. But using the groupinars, journal, and worksheets with BetterHelp, I could work on at least one of these topics daily.
Working hard to get out of the darkness
I've been on my personal mental health journey for three years.
After a series of traumatic events, my mental health took a nosedive in 2020. I was in a very dark place that I could not pull myself out of. As a goal setter and high achiever, I describe this as feeling like I had a tight seatbelt on that I could not move. I was not able to move forward in any area of my life, no matter all the ways my brain "knew" how to.
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I have been seeing a therapist regularly since 2021, including participating in intensive group therapy for six months. The girl in the photo above has found joy again and is back to setting goals.
I wanted to share BetterHelp with Macaroni KID readers because it's very personal to me. I want you to know that it's okay not to be okay. It's okay and critical for you to prioritize your health.
We all NEED your bright, shining, self in this world, and you DESERVE to feel better now.
Ready to give BetterHelp a try?
I hope you'll give BetterHelp a chance!
Use this link to save 20% off your first month, and BetterHelp will also give you a way to keep earning your therapy through their referral program.
Feel better, because feeling better should not have to wait!
