Therapy is more than talking about your problems. It’s a powerful platform for learning and healing. Therapy not only eases emotional distress but also can jump-start your ability to move forward, make intentional decisions, practice more effective strategies, and be more resilient.

Using your mind to develop your brain through the process of therapy promotes a higher level of functioning in general and can enhance your life and the lives of those around you—no matter what your situation.

Psychologists do not simply treat psychological disorders and pain. Since the heart and mind are the foundation of most areas of functioning and overall well-being, psychologists can help people in many areas of their lives.

For example, psychologists can help people improve performance, develop potential, and act more in line with their values; understand their own and other people’s minds, emotions, and intentions; practice higher-level interpersonal and communication strategies; and navigate relationships more effectively. In practical and emotional ways, psychologists not only provide new tools but also can expand people’s capacity to manage stress and adversity.

Neural connections and brain architecture are set in motion by the environment, particularly early interpersonal experiences. These experiences play a major role in who we become, stimulating and shaping how the brain develops, particularly during “sensitive” periods of development—even affecting gene expression, such as whether a gene is turned on or off (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2016).

Because the brain and mind develop in the context of relationships, it makes sense that psychological healing often requires an interpersonal reparative environment.

Still, many people harbor the false belief that being in therapy is a crutch or sign of weakness, and that it is somehow superior to manage on their own.

However, taking the step to consult with a psychologist is an act of initiative and courage, and often the harder choice. In fact, in a family context, it’s not uncommon for the one who comes into treatment to be the healthier one, particularly when the........

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