Ninety-five percent of individuals agree that mental health is important, yet only 26% prioritize it in their lives. Many think therapy is only for those people on medication for mood disorders, people diagnosed with mental illnesses, or people dealing with a relationship or family crisis. But, the truth is, therapy is not just for mentally ill people.
Tragedies, hardships, and anxieties happen to everyone. It’s natural for people to have emotions, and individuals must have the tools to handle difficult emotions or situations. While not everyone needs therapy, everyone can benefit from therapy to become more emotionally healthy.
Here’s how therapists can make their services more accessible to everyone, including clients who may not experience serious mental illness.
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How to Reach Mentally Healthy Clients
Everyone encounters stressors and problems that lead to negative emotions or behaviors. Therapy helps people deal with these negative emotions or behaviors in a healthy, useful way. Plus, simply saying these feelings out loud can help clients feel better.
However, as mentioned above, very few people prioritize their mental health. Social stigma, a desire to cope with problems alone, and preferences for informal support are all barriers that cause people to forgo professional treatment. Further, many individuals do not feel they are suffering enough to deserve mental health treatment or support from a professional.
But therapy isn’t just for moments of earth-shattering personal tragedies. It can also be helpful for clients who want to achieve certain goals, practice self-compassion, gain a better understanding of themselves, or learn how to communicate better.
How then can therapists reach those who think that therapy is only for those with severe mental health issues? One way is through marketing. If a client doesn’t relate to the copy on a therapist’s website or online profile, they won’t be inclined to book an appointment. Another way is through finding a niche that appeals to a broader audience. Therapists who specialize in addiction recovery likely won’t tailor their services to reach those who don’t struggle with addiction. However, therapists with more general practices can market their services in a way that attracts a broader clientele.
Here are some ideas for niches that will appeal to those clients who may not think they need therapy.
1. Life Coaching Services
Therapists possess a depth of knowledge in personal development and goal achievement strategies, making them ideal for offering coaching services. Individuals who seek life coaching services are typically ambitious people who want to develop their strengths, improve their weaknesses, and reach personal and professional goals. Offering life coaching services is an excellent vehicle for reaching a multitude of individuals and helping them grow.
2. Self-Care Therapy Services
The concept of self-care has become increasingly popular over the last several years, particularly among younger generations. Self-care encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. Therapists can reframe therapy as a self-care tool to reach a wider audience that may not have thought they needed therapy.
3. Services that Provide Objective, Unbiased Views
Many people think they don’t need therapy because they have a large group of friends and family to talk about their problems with. These people may not realize that this support group can be biased. That’s where therapists are needed – even those not dealing with major life decisions or crises. Therapists should make it clear that they have absolutely no biases and are 100% on the client’s team.
4. Services for Clients to Take Control of Their Lives
Some people may not recognize a need for therapy, but most can undoubtedly relate to feeling like they are floating along and letting life happen. Marketing therapy services as a way to help people take control of their stories and write the life they want can be appealing to all potential clients.
5. Services to Get Clients Out of Their Comfort Zone
Mentally healthy people are comfortable with themselves and their lives, which is great. But getting out of the comfort zone can also be beneficial. It leads to stronger individuals and increased creativity. Therapists can let clients know that therapy might be uncomfortable, but it can help everyone grow and develop new ways of understanding and dealing with difficult situations.
6. Services for Unlearning Bad Habits
Most of us have destructive habits that need to be unlearned. Therapy is an opportunity for clients to unlearn bad habits as much as it is to learn good habits. Unresolved past trauma can often manifest through bad habits, such as pushing people away or putting up walls to avoid being hurt. Therapists can help individuals unlearn these habits and replace them with healthy habits that promote healing.
7. Services for Improving Relationships
Even those who do not suffer from mental illness have likely experienced relationship troubles at some point. Therapy is an opportunity for individuals to build a better relationship with themselves and others. Therapists can market their services as a way to help clients learn how to communicate with loved ones better and improve their relationships.
8. Services for Stress Relief
People go through significant life changes and can often experience multiple stressors without even realizing it. Changing careers, becoming a first-time parent, or moving to a new city, everyone gets overwhelmed sometimes. Therapists can market their practice as a way to help clients better understand the stressors they are experiencing and develop ways to handle them.
9. Services for Overall Well-Being
Therapy can help clients healthier and happier. Some individuals may be more concerned with their physical health than their mental health, but if they knew that improving their mental health could help them live longer, healthier lives, they might be more inclined to book an appointment.
Therapy can also help people improve their self-esteem or body image, which aren’t necessarily indicative of a mental health disorder have very real impacts on their day-to-day lives.
Let Clients Know They Have Support
Therapy is often misunderstood. One of the biggest misconceptions about therapy is that it’s only intended to treat those with serious mental illness or severe trauma. While the stigma around mental health has lessened in recent years, this misconception that therapy is only for certain people or certain levels of suffering persists.
However, it’s quite the opposite — therapy is designed to help with nearly every aspect of life and can benefit anyone looking to optimize their life. Therapists are not only trained to make a bad life good but also to help make a good life great.
People from all walks of life with a myriad of issues can benefit from therapy, but the decision to book a session is not always an easy one to make. Sometimes, the biggest hurdle for clients on the fence about therapy is simply finding the right therapist.
Ravel Mental Health is an online platform that helps clients see therapists in their area, filter their search for certain specifications, and read more about services offered. Finding the right fit for a counselor is important to potential clients, and Ravel Mental Health is here to help.
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