Maybe you've been putting off a hard conversation. Maybe you've been telling yourself you're OK when you're not. Maybe you just have this quiet feeling that something needs to change…
You opened this email for a reason. Let's honor that.
April is National Counseling Awareness Month, and this issue is for everyone at every stage of the journey. Whether you've been in therapy for years or you're reading this wondering if it's even for you, you belong here.
Stay with us, because this might be exactly what you need —
AN AFFIRMATION
This one's worth holding onto:
Asking for help is not a sign that I am weak. It is a sign that I am brave enough to admit that I don’t have to carry everything alone.
Save this. Screenshot it. Send it to someone who needs to hear it today.
A FEW PROMPTS TO SIT WITH
You don't have to answer all of these. Pick the one that pulls at you. Journal in the ReachLink app, in a notebook, on the back of a receipt. It doesn't matter where. It matters that you give yourself the space.
When was the last time I asked for help, and how did it feel?
If I could say one honest thing to my therapist (or a future therapist) without worrying about being judged, what would it be?
What's one thing I believe about therapy that I've never actually questioned? Where did that belief come from?
SOMEONE WHO GETS IT
Tina Fornwald is the founder of Widowhood Real Talk with Tina, a retired Army veteran, grief coach, and someone who's been through it herself. She lost her husband Mark to a sudden heart attack after 32 years together. Now she helps others navigate the hardest parts of healing.
She said something on a recent Therapist Voices podcast episode that stuck with us:
If you try to work with a therapist and the first one doesn't work, I ask people to look at it this way: If you want your hair to look right, are you going to stop at the first hairdresser? Or [are] you going to go 'That didn't work. I'm going to find the hairdresser who does what I want.' That is the same thing with your mental health.
If you've tried therapy and it didn't click, that's not a sign to stop. It's a sign to keep looking. ReachLink makes it easy to switch therapists until you find the right fit.
SOMETHING NEW IN THE APP
We redesigned how you manage your appointments in our app. Check these out before your next session:
Calendar + List Views. Your appointments hub now has both. Manage your sessions whichever way works for you.
Color-Coded Cards. Different appointment types are color-coded on your calendar so you can see your week at a glance.
Guest Preview. Invited someone to a session (like a partner for couples therapy)? You can now see who's joining directly in the appointment details, with a clear join button.
IF YOU WANNA GO DEEPER
These are some of our most-read articles, and they all connect to this month's theme of beginning, coming back, and understanding what the therapy process actually looks like.
Understanding the Phases of Therapy: Your Complete Guide. What to expect from start to finish.
Navigating Therapeutic Conversations: What to Discuss in Therapy. Not sure what to talk about? Start here.
What Progress in Therapy Actually Looks Like. It's rarely a lightbulb moment. Here's what to look for instead.
Building Trust in Telehealth Therapy. Wondering if virtual therapy can feel real? Yes. Here's how.
65 Journaling Prompts for Mental Health and Self-Reflection. If this issue's prompts hit, here are 65 more.
That's it for this one. An affirmation, a few prompts, and some reads. Take what you need.
We'll be back in your inbox in two weeks. Until then, be easy on yourself.
