How to know if you’re ready to resolve trauma
You have reached the point where either you have been told to “go see someone” or you have decided to try therapy (again), in the hope that you will get the help you feel you need and know you want. Are you truly ready to resolve trauma?
There are many things that we practitioners look for in our clients, during their initial contact. I would like to share these with you, because it could ultimately save you a lot of time, money and disappointment.
Firstly, let’s look at how to know if you’re NOT ready for therapy
- Someone else is compelling you to attend therapy through an ultimatum. In this situation, which is very common, there is initial work to do together to bring you the awareness that the third party has attempted to offer you.
- You find yourself in a really scary and distressing situation and think you will do anything at all, not to feel this way. You are ready for the initial stage of therapy, but will likely lack the insight to remain and address the underlying causes, seeking only a quick fix.
- You attend therapy expecting that the therapist is going to ‘fix’ you and that they will do most of the work because you paid them. You believe that all you have to do is attend and that is where the relationship ends, and the genie in the bottle will do the rest.
- Your life situation is relatively unstable – ie. middle of moving house / changing jobs / travel.
**note – all of the examples above do not mean that you should not reach out – not at all! – they are showing you how to self-assess whether you are really ready to change, and whether you are able to commit to it. Please make contact, and we can discuss this in more detail. 🙂
Now that’s out of the way – here are some ways to know that you are actually ready for therapy, and the likelihood of your succeeding
1) Willingness to Explore
Readiness that you are self-organising to attend therapy, often comes with a willingness to know and understand yourself better. If the idea of exploration in this regard fills you with curiosity, necessity and willingness, then you stand a high chance of succeeding with a Good Therapist.
Commitment to the Process
Participating in Good Therapy and the resolving of trauma requires commitment. Are you willing to dedicate time and energy to yourself in this way? This will involve:
- Attending regular 90-minute sessions
- Participating in three-monthly progress reviews
- Practising self-care and implementing new self-regulation skills
- Being open and curious to methodologies you have never seen.
- Learning about yourself and relationships.
- Securing support from your partner or employer.
If you find yourself nodding to these points, it’s a strong indicator that you’re ready to begin the resolution process.
2) Safety and stability
A basic level of safety and stability in your life supports the trauma resolution process and is a prerequisite to Good Therapy. This includes:
- A safe and stable living situation
- Some form of support system (friends, family, or community)
- Basic self-care habits
- An attitude that supports rhythm
If these elements are in place, you’re better positioned to engage in the healing process.
3) Openness to new approaches
Being open and willing to try new methods of healing and a completely different therapeutic culture than the prevailing therapeutic culture, (the broken one) is a definite advantage to great results. It demonstrates flexibility, and resilience amongst other qualities. A great sign.
4) Trust in the process
Finally, readiness often comes with a sense of trust – not necessarily in the specifics of the therapy, but in the overall process of healing. This might look like:
- Feeling hopeful and somewhat excited about the possibility of change
- Being willing to be vulnerable with a therapist
- Trusting yourself that it’s time
Taking the next step
Learn more about my Psychotherapy Sessions or contact me if you want to chat further.
Resources – See Treatment Readiness Scale checklist in my Resources section for a more detailed clinical appraisal of readiness. This is meant as a guideline only, and I would prefer you contact me to discuss.
