Give yourself permission for therapy

I’ve noticed a trend in attitude to getting help from mental health professionals. I’ve noticed that people are reluctant to seek the help of a professional – more often than not because they don’t want to pay for it, no matter how much they want it. What’s that about?

In the Ollie Model, we say ‘you are never the problem, it’s only a part of you’. It’s a part of you that is making you reluctant to pay for therapy – let’s call it your ‘inner financial adviser’. What else in our lives costs money that our inner financial adviser lets us do with no problem? Petrol? Food shopping? Dentist? These are all considered essentials to our inner financial adviser. Petrol to get to work, food to survive, and looking after our physical wellbeing. But is our mental wellbeing not also an essential? How much do you think in a day? How much of those thoughts are unwanted? What about the chiropractor, barbers, beautician? Why will we see someone to change the outside of us but not the inside?

‘Retail therapy’ is a common phrase used. A purchase to give us a brief good feeling to carry us over for a bit. But that feeling runs out, and the old feeling creeps back. What if you purchased quality time with a professional instead – rather than a new outfit, phone, car, or accessory to mask the problem. Have a chat with your inner financial advisor, what’s going on there? Hear them out, but you are the captain of your own ship and you make the decisions round here.

What if you could give yourself permission to spend money on your mental health…what would that look like? What would you change? It’s okay to put yourself first and ‘splash out’ on therapy… but is it really ‘splashing out’ if it’s essential for your wellbeing? Think of the possibilities of exploring the new you and be the person you want to be.

Why focus on just the physical when you’re the one person you’ll be spending the rest of your life with? Skip the retail therapy and help the anxiety, stress, phobia or whatever it is you need. You know what it is you need.

So here it is. Your moment. Take a deep breath and give yourself permission to make a difference to you. Use it to grow, use it to invest in yourself. Let your inner financial advisor relax, and know that it’s money well spent.

Jess Goddard, trainee Ollie Coach

Jess is currently training to be an Ollie Coach whilst working as a Teaching Assistant. She has a First Class Degree in Psychology which has sparked both her interest in people’s thinking processes and her passion for helping people. Jess is enjoying training with Ollie and his Super Powers and looks forward to qualifying and beginning her journey as an Ollie Coach.

To get in contact with Jess, email info@ollieandhissuperpowers.com

To find out more about Ollie and his Super Powers and how to become an Ollie Coach go to https://www.ollieandhissuperpowers.com/pages/about-us