Being a first generation therapist means being questioned for the good, out of curiosity & sometimes so much so that some questions make my head ache. People have always been interested about what therapy is & why one should go for it. For the longest time, I'd push myself & maybe even second guess myself for not having the best, right and a very convincing accurate answer, that they can recall long after our conversation.

I'd lie if I said I found the answer.

Rather, I can share in detail now if you ask me - having been in therapy, being a therapist & in the capacity of a supervisor.

Therapy is a place where an individual who is trained (not in a one time workshop) but has rigorously engaged in the curriculum, courses that focus on understanding human experiences & its different layers that we often don't notice or don't find the benefit in noticing.

Before you tell me self help books account for the same - they like therapy are a medium and NOT a substitute. We all find our ways of making sense of the world & ourselves and for me that way has been therapy.

It's a place that welcomes you to be you, where you can remove your strong armour and share parts of you that the world told you no one wanted to see. It's a space that honours what you've lost, gained, held & want to let go. It's not a magical place, but it's real enough to make you push yourself (gently) to question behaviours or responses. It's not a magic pill neither is it for everyone.

It requires investment in the form of time, energy, finances and the commitment to witness & see, & finding a space that is able to understand your needs & meet you there.

I know it's not  a 1+1 answer or that of an equation that helps you find the value of x, but it is dynamic enough to meet you at your pace & allow you to explore & find what you're hoping for.