Why People Really Go to Therapy: 10 Reasons You Didn’t See Coming (and 10 You Totally Did)

When most people think about why someone goes to therapy, the usual suspects come to mind: anxiety, depression, grief. And sure, those are common reasons, but they’re far from the whole story. Therapy isn’t just for life’s “rock bottom” moments—it’s also for the quiet struggles, the weird patterns, and the “Why does this keep happening?” moments. Let’s break it down.

The 10 Obvious Reasons People Go to Therapy:

1. Anxiety or stress
2. Depression or low mood
3. Grief and loss
4. Trauma and PTSD
5. Major life transitions (like divorce, job loss, or moving)
6. Relationship issues (Pre-Marital, Affair Repair, Divorce couseling)
7. Low self-esteem or confidence
8. Addiction or unhealthy coping habits
9. Parenting challenges
10. Mental health diagnoses (like OCD, bipolar disorder, etc.)

The 10 Not-So-Obvious Reasons People Go to Therapy (That Totally Make Sense):

For Couples:

1. The “Who Loads the Dishwasher Right?” Fight: It’s never just about the dishwasher. Therapy helps couples stop arguing about the small stuff and start hearing each other’s deeper needs.
2. Because the Kids Left, and Now It’s… Quiet. The empty nest can feel less like freedom and more like, Do we even like each other anymore? Therapy helps couples reconnect after the parenting chapter closes.
3. To Stop Feeling Like Roommates with Joint Custody of the Couch: When life gets busy, romance can flatline. Therapy helps couples move from “co-managers of chaos” back to “partners in love.”
4. To Argue Like Adults (Not Exhausted Teenagers): Conflict is normal—therapy teaches couples how to fight fair, without turning it into a full-blown Cold War.
5. Because One of You Talks Too Much, and the Other Shuts Down: Therapy helps bridge the gap between “Can we please talk about it?” and “Do we have to?”

For Individuals:

6. To Stop Saying “Yes” When You Mean “I’d Rather Swallow a Cactus”: People-pleasing is exhausting. Therapy helps you find your boundaries—and stick to them.
7. Because You’re Crying at Dog Food Commercials (and You Don’t Even Have a Dog): Random emotions are usually about more than just a sad soundtrack. Therapy helps you figure out what’s really going on.
8. To Break the Cycle of “Why Do I Keep Doing This?!” Whether it’s dating the same type of person or procrastinating again, therapy helps you break old patterns.
9. Because “Work-Life Balance” Feels Like a Joke: Therapy helps you stop feeling like you’re failing at everything and start finding peace in the chaos.
10. To Have One Space That’s Just Yours: No advice, no judgment—just someone listening while you untangle the mental spaghetti. The Bottom Line: Therapy isn’t just for crisis mode. It’s for the moments when life feels off, when patterns don’t make sense, and when you’re tired of pretending everything’s fine.

Wondering if therapy might help you - Let’s talk. Schedule your first session today and see how clarity can change everything.

5 Languages of Love. Learn a New Language in 3 Minutes.

5 Languages of Love.

How to Become an Expert in 3 Minutes.

It’s that time of the year when love is celebrated and honored. It’s almost Valentine’s Day and the opportunity to express love is welcomed and embraced. Little prompts are all around us from cards to flowers to boxes of chocolates. 

What’s you’re go-to on Valentine’s Day to let your special person know you adore them? What types of things would really feel good to you on Valentine’s Day? A special dinner out or a handwritten note? Would it mean the world to you if your guy would take the evening and do some chores with you around the house, or maybe purchase a couple’s massage?  

One of my go-to assignments, for my couples on Valentine’s Day, is the 5 Love Languages quiz by Gary Chapman. Gary says we like to give and receive love in certain ways. He breaks these ways down into 5 LOVE categories. 

1. Words of affirmation

2. Quality time

3. Gifts 

4. Physical touch

5. Acts of service

Often, people assume that men fall into certain categories and women into other categories. But, through working with thousands of people in couple’s therapy, I’ve found this isn’t true. 

Once you know your top love language and you know your partner’s, it makes things much easier. You don’t spend as much time guessing at what would make them happy. You just focus on one of their top 2 love categories and suddenly you become an expert lover!

To learn your top Love Language, go to www.5lovelanguges.com and take the quiz. It takes 3 minutes and it’s fun to share the results with your love. 

Our love languages can change over time. So, I encourage my couples to retake the quiz every Valentine's Day. It’s a fun way to reconnect and remind ourselves how our love interest wants us to show up! Whether it’s a gift or a compliment, once we know we can always get it right.  

Make a date with your love on Valentine’s Day and take the quiz. 

Psssssssst: Valentines’s Day is more than an opportunity to express just romantic love. It’s a great opportunity to reach out to all the people we love and care about. Our kids, parents, best friends and our sweet pets. Tell them I LOVE YOU! BTW, your kids also have a love language that may not match yours, so while you're at it, take that quiz too!