You’ve conquered your demons and tackled (most) of your issues, and now life’s looking pretty sweet. Time to ghost your therapist, right? Not so fast. While it’s tempting to view therapy as a crisis hotline, staying in the game when things are going well might just be your ticket to next-level health and wellness.
Think of therapy as a gym membership for your mind. Sure, you’ve lost the weight, but maintaining it takes work. “Therapy is helpful to people in all stages of life, not only those who are in crisis,” Mishay Butler-Ozore, a therapist in Southern California, told Self magazine.
Here are a few reasons why sticking with therapy in good times is the ultimate life hack, according to the magazine:
Skill sharpening: Regular sessions will help keep your mental tools in top shape. If you’ve put in all the time and effort to change negative behaviors, not maintaining certain skills might cause you to relapse “into your old, self-defeating ways.”
Celebrating wins: Your therapist is your personal cheerleader. Focusing on your accomplishments and basking in them can boost your self-confidence and motivation to keep making positive changes.
Moving forward: With no major drama taking up the spotlight, you can focus on fine-tuning the little things in your life that’ll take you from good to great.
With maintenance therapy, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. “Maintenance sessions are usually more focused on reflecting and providing an opportunity to have a sounding board for the day-to-day things that are happening in your life,” Butler-Azore said. So before you hit that “cancel membership” button on your mental health journey, consider the possibilities. Your future self might just thank you for it.
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