Why Therapy, Why Now?

When I meet with potential clients during a consultation, I almost always begin with some version of the question: “Why therapy? Why now?”

This question is a simple way to understand what led you here. Maybe you’ve been lying awake night after night, thinking about something you can’t quite shake. Maybe you recently typed “therapist near me” into Google and wondered if now might finally be the right time.

If you’re still in that wondering stage—not sure if you’re the “my therapist says…” type—here are some common reasons people decide therapy could be the next best step in their lives.

A Significant Change Has Happened—or Is Coming

Big life events can be exciting and overwhelming all at once. In my therapy practice, I often work with women and couples navigating infertility, pregnancy, loss, and postpartum transitions. These are powerful experiences that can bring up unexpected emotions.

Life changes aren’t limited to family planning. Preparing for a career shift, moving to a new city, or making another big decision can stir up anxiety, grief, or uncertainty. Therapy can be a space to process those feelings, clarify your support systems, and create a plan for navigating change. Coming to therapy before a major transition can make the adjustment smoother and less overwhelming.

Experiencing Loss

Loss comes in many forms—death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, losing a job, or even losing a sense of identity. Grief is not only about sadness; it can also be about finding meaning, rediscovering priorities, and reshaping life in the wake of change.

But grief can also be hidden—pushed down, ignored, or left unresolved—only to show up in ways that affect your relationships, work, and well-being. In grief counseling, we can explore the many emotions that come with loss, integrate them into your life, and work toward finding purpose in the midst of something profoundly unfair.

New or Intensifying Anxiety, Depression, or Emotional Shifts

As life goes on, difficult experiences accumulate. While you may have felt sad, worried, or stressed in the past, these emotions can sometimes grow heavier and more persistent.

Maybe you’ve found yourself unable to get out of bed, avoiding basic self-care, or withdrawing from people you love. Perhaps your thoughts race at night, you find yourself doomscrolling, or you’re suddenly feeling social anxiety you never had before. Anxiety and depression counseling can help you understand what’s happening, reduce symptoms, and regain a sense of stability.

Your Coping Tools Aren’t Working Anymore

The strategies you once relied on—whether it was exercise, a drink to take the edge off, or avoiding triggers—may no longer bring relief, or they might even be causing more harm. Therapy can help you develop healthier coping skills, address what’s fueling your distress, and find healthier ways to respond.

Family Dynamics Are Taking a Toll

Adulthood often brings a new perspective on childhood. You might realize certain patterns in your family weren’t as “normal” as you once thought. Maybe setting boundaries leads to pushback from parents or siblings, especially if you have your own family now. Individual therapy can help you process these realizations, protect your mental health, and create boundaries that feel right for you. Family therapy can help repair relationships, increase understanding, and foster more supportive connections.

Processing Trauma

Trauma is deeply personal—two people can experience the same event and have completely different responses. Trauma can be a one-time event (acute trauma) or ongoing (complex trauma/C-PTSD). Either can impact your daily life, relationships, and sense of safety.

With trauma therapy, we can work toward reducing triggers, processing painful experiences, and rebuilding a sense of peace and stability.

You Need a Space That’s Truly Yours

Friends and family can be supportive, but therapy offers something unique—a private, nonjudgmental space that’s all about you. Here, you can share your thoughts, feelings, and struggles without worrying about how it will affect others.

My goal is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can share anything—whether it’s the best or worst thing on your mind—and feel heard, understood, and supported.

Your Relationship Is Struggling

Relationships evolve. The people we are at the beginning are rarely the same people years down the road, and that’s true for both partners. Parenthood, career changes, moves, and betrayals can shake the foundation of a relationship.

Couples therapy is more than communication skills—it’s about creating a safe environment to explore what’s beneath the surface, understand each other’s perspectives, and find a path back to connection, kindness, and mutual respect.

Or Simply… Because You Want To

You don’t need a major crisis or a laundry list of reasons to start therapy. Sometimes we just need someone to truly listen. Therapy can be a place to explore, reflect, and grow—whether or not there’s a single “big” reason for being there.

Ready to begin?

At MBW, we provide individual counseling, couples therapy, and family therapy—helping you navigate challenges, strengthen relationships, and create a more satisfying and fulfilling life.

Schedule your consultation today to see how therapy can help you find clarity, connection, and peace.