Maybe you’re like me and have trouble stopping worrying about your next appointment with the psychiatrist. Whether it’s your last week of work, or your first day back at school, anxiety stemming from work can be a difficult thing to manage. But controlling one’s anxiety is one thing; managing it before an appointment is quite another. You see, many people with anxiety won’t do well in front of other people. This makes it even more important that you understand how to better manage your behavioral health so that you don’t end up looking like a stuttering mess when the therapist shows up. In this article, we discuss some of the most important things you can do before your next therapy appointment that will make sure you are ready to handle whatever Dr. Statham dishes out.
Decide How You’ll Manage Your Behaviors Before the Appointment
First things first; decide what you are going
to do before the appointment. Are you going to practice your breathing techniques, or maybe you’ll try out some mediation? Are you going to tell your story to the therapist, or do you want to keep it as private as possible? These are all things you need to decide before the appointment, so the therapist doesn’t waste your time. Next, select the right therapist for you. Some people will do better with an in-depth discussion person, while others will be more comfortable with a listening ear. Some people need to talk, and others just want to be heard.
Practice Prior to the Appointment
Whether you’re practicing your breathing techniques before your next therapy session, or you want to be more mindful during your next visit, you’ll need to practice before the appointment. You see, going into the appointment, you won’t be able to control yourself well enough to tell the best story ever, or ask questions the therapist wants answers to. You will also be extremely nervous, and not as relaxed as you need to be. All of this will lead to a disorganized and uncomfortable experience for the therapist, and you could end up feeling bad about yourself for having such a bad visit (even though you didn’t do anything wrong). Practicing beforehand will help you improve your ability to control your thoughts, and make your visit feel more like a productive conversation with a friend rather than a tense emotional experience with a therapist.
Stay Flexible and Open-Minded
It’s human nature to want to label things, and use terms that match our experiences. This is often a bad thing, as it keeps us from seeing things from other people’s points of view, and can lead to miscommunications and even misunderstandings. If you keep your open-mindedness and flexibility toward others, things will work out much better. You see, people will have different experiences than you, and different ways of thinking. The important thing to remember is that everyone has different needs, and preferences, which means you’re likely more similar to the people you see regularly than you think. After all, we all have different issues, and it’s important to respect each other’s differences.
Ask For Help Before the Appointment
Even if you’re really good at managing your thoughts and feelings, and can keep a secret, you’re likely going to feel a lot different when you’re in front of a real person than when you’re practicing on paper. Your anxiety is likely to show up in ways you can’t control, and it’s probably going to show up in ways your therapist can’t predict. It’s also likely that you won’t be able to verbalize all of your thoughts, and feelings, which can make it even more difficult to talk to a friend about your issues. Sometimes, you have to ask for help, before the appointment. Even if you think you can handle it on your own, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re not sure how to go about it. Although it might feel a bit awkward, it’s better than not asking at all.
Bottom line
While you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to book your first therapy appointment, or the second, you should be ready to better manage your anxiety before you see the therapist. These things will help make your visit more efficient, and make your therapy experience less stressful. Practicing how you’re going to talk to the therapist before the appointment, and staying flexible and open-minded will make sure you are able to handle whatever Dr. Statham has to offer, with a clear head, and the confidence that comes from knowing you can succeed in this area.