Most of us are willing to seek professional help for physical ailments, be they high blood pressure, diabetes, broken bones, allergies, or other medical issues. When it comes to broken or wounded hearts, many of us hope it will go away on its own, settle for talking to our friends, or watch Oprah for solutions.

Often when people are experiencing obstacles in life or find themselves struggling for extended periods, they’re reluctant to reach out for professional help. Some feel that therapy is only for a severe crisis and they should be able to solve their problems on their own. Others fear that seeking help is an admission of inadequacy, a weak character or dependency. In fact, therapy can help you learn more about yourself, gain a new perspective, identify your strengths, as well as recognize and change destructive behavior patterns. Working with a licensed psychotherapist is the most effective method of overcoming chronic depression, fears, trauma, anxiety, and breaking unhealthy patterns that don’t serve you. Unlike friends and family members who are too personally involved in our lives to challenge our mode of operation, a therapist is a trained professional who will lend objective support, help you discover new solutions and assist you in exploring solutions in a different way. In other words, therapy can help you to become your best self.

In “Couple’s Work,” therapy focuses on the relationship with one’s self and how it affects one’s relationships with others. Therapy can educate you about choosing mates and identifying relationship patterns. It can also help you realize that relationships should be consciously selected, analyzed, nurtured, and sometimes even relinquished.