Some people live with anxiety, stress and fears almost as if it just a normal part of life and they have to accept.

People who are afraid of therapy may be thinking – What if it opens up a can of worms? What if it doesn’t work for them? It’s enough to make people afraid of tackling their demons, and so they put it off, hoping that perhaps one day they will feel better. Often that day never comes.

For anyone contemplating therapy, first do your research. You may feel apprehensive. Perhaps not knowing what would be expected from you. Be prepared and arm yourself with a list of questions to ask.

Find 3 or 4 therapists online and read their websites. Be clear in your mind what kind of a person would be right for you.

Then email them, if you are not happy to call them. Emailing is less personal of course, so you can’t hear the tone of voice from the therapist. You can start the ball rolling by asking a few questions by email, then encourage yourself to call the therapist. Ask if they have time to speak to you then, or another time. If the therapist can’t speak to you, or says they don’t have much time, discount them, and call the next one.

If they are talking your language, as in saying things that ring bells, and you agree with what they say, then they could be marked as a possibility.

Of course you would want to know how much the sessions cost and budget for them, You also want to know how many sessions you might need. Good, well-trained therapists should tell you that in between sessions you would be evaluating your progress, and when you are coping much better, the therapy can end.

Anyone who says you require many sessions without evaluating what is necessary has not been trained well enough.

In your own time you can study who might be best for you, female or male. Be wary of just choosing someone for the location. Be prepared to travel if necessary.

Then when you have made your choice on the kind of therapy that will be right for you, and the person you wish to work with, overcome the initial fears, take the bull by the horns, bite the bullet, and any other metaphor you might choose, and go for it!

It could be the very best thing you do this year, and for the rest of your life. If you’d like to find out more about how therapy could help you, visit my website www.joygower.co.uk or call me on 01603 712704. I’ll always find time to talk to you.