Knowing how to ask for help when you need it can be difficult, but taking a preventative approach to your mental health care allows the time to find quality care that is the right fit for you. Treatment is not a one-size-fits-all; it’s absolutely personal to you and what your needs are. Giving yourself the time to find care before your symptoms outweigh your capacity to cope can make a huge difference in addressing your concerns in a timely way.

For some, brief or short-term therapy is necessary for learning new coping skills and techniques to self-manage their current mental health difficulties. For others, therapy might be part of a long-term treatment plan.

To know whether the care you’re receiving is both effective and the right fit for you, consider the following:

1. Distress tolerance is part of the process. Treatment can (and typically will be!) uncomfortable at some points. But paying attention to how you feel your therapist navigates the distress is important. When a topic causes discomfort, your therapist should engage you gently and intentionally to determine your limits, insights and awareness.

2. You should be an active participant in your care. You must be invested in the process of your treatment. Your therapist will guide and support you through the process, but they can’t do it alone.

3. The energy in the room matters. The work involved in therapy can and should bring energy and trust to the room. Do you feel like you can be your authentic self during your sessions? Do you feel supported and validated in your feelings? Good therapy requires a certain level of trust to be successful.

Feeling seen and safe are important parts of successful treatment. Finding the proper treatment is essential to walking the path of recovery.