I've asked my parents about therapy before and they acted like they were on board with it, but this was 9 months ago and nothing has happened. They haven't said anything. I don't know how to ask again?
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Last Updated: 05/31/2022 at 8:56pm
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Anonymous
September 30th, 2019 1:59am
There are many reasons why they may not have said anything. They may not have grasped how serious you were, may not understand therapy/mental health in general, or didn't want to push you. If possible, calmly mention to them that they had agreed to therapy and that it was still something you were interested in pursuing. If face to face is too difficult, try writing it in a letter, text, or email. With either the face-to-face or writing option, a helpful tactic may be to present them with some therapist options in your area. These can be found on sites such as Psychology Today as well as your insurance provider.
Ask them how they are doing with finding you a therapist, basically put the responsibility on them from the get go because they are your parents and it's on them to get you help. When they say they forgot or were busy, ect just remind them you need therapy. Even better plan a time to sit down with them and browse therapists. If you have insurance, you can ask for their insurance's phone number and call them directly to get referrals to a therapists near you and not only will this let you be in more control of who you get, but also demonstrate responsibility to your parents.
Mental health is really neglected and so are the ways to protect it. Therapy is one of the ways to maintain your mental health. There is nothing wrong in seeking help when you need, I can understand that sometimes parents don't understand this. But if you accept that you need help, they would eventually too. In your case, your parents agreed before, but it might have slipped their mind. So you must try and talk to them about it again. You can try communicating with them the problem you face and how therapy can help you. Always be brave to ask for help and try to converse with your parents about the same.
I have definitely been there before. When I was in my early teens, my mother found out about an issue I was having and decided to take me to see a therapist. On the way there, we got a flat tire, missed the appointment, and she never rescheduled it. 3 years later, I was in a psychiatric hospital because that problem, among others, had gotten worse.
It was hard for me to ask for that kind of help, so I get where you are coming from. It can be scary reaching out to others, even if they are people close to you. If you would feel more comfortable, it might be beneficial to write them a letter expressing how you are still wanting to do therapy. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can still write it ouy to help you decide on what you would like to say to them. Best of luck to you.
Emphasize the importance of therapy to your parents. Many parents may claim they are in the mindset of "It was different back then," but explaining the importance of therapy can help sway them in a different direction. If you feel comfortable sharing with your parents why you want to go to therapy, definitely do so. Opening up about problems can be a huge part of the healing process. However, if you do not feel comfortable or they do not think you need, you can take a background by explaining all the other benefits you can reap from therapy. For example, better physical health, better performance in school or sports, or strengthening your relationship with them. You got this!
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