Less like physio, more like regular exercise

In therapy, there’s still a sense that you wait until something has gone wrong before seeking support. It’s the mental wellbeing equivalent of rushing to the physio when your knee finally pops, or your back goes. And, of course, better to act then than hobble on in agony, making the situation worse. But who of us hasn’t found themselves dealing with some physical ailment, chiding ourselves at the failure to do something earlier - to prevent rather than cure?

I want to change this. And it’s as much as collective failure of perspective as it is individual reticence. Because “well” people don’t get therapy, do they? Depressed people get therapy. Anxious people get therapy. Couples close to divorce get therapy. That’s what therapy is for, right?

But do you think of your spin class as a crisis response? Your long weekend hike in the country as a trip to A&E? Of course not. They’re about showing yourself care and respect in a way that improves your immediate wellbeing and protects against future injury. You can see where I’m going with this.

You may have a perfect relationship, a strong, stable network of friends, be in a fulfilling job that pays enough and doesn’t ask too much of you. You may have lived your dreams, become creatively satisfied and feel happy to face the future with a whistle and a smile. In which case, you might not need therapy – you’ve got your perfect home gym set-up, in this analogy.

But if this isn’t you, if there’s a sense that you could do with some guidance and a space to explore the areas of life that aren’t perfect, need attention and are causing you pain, then therapy is your Pilates, your PT session, your long walk on a Sunday. For your body, these things are sensible, admirable, practical. It’s time we saw therapy as the equivalent for your mind. Stick on the old t-shirt (literally, if you like. There’s no Shared Mile dress code) and let’s get active. Before the injury, not afterwards.