DISCLAIMER: NOT AN ACTUAL CLIENT.
Dear Therapist,
How do I make my spouse go to therapy?
Signed,
Anxious Spouse
Dear Anxious Spouse,
Just as therapy is a different journey for everyone, so is the journey to therapy. Some people are very comfortable with, and seek out, therapists to help them process and understand life’s challenges. Other people feel that a therapist will get in the way of all that, that it would be better to think it through themselves.
Validating your spouse’s feelings and thoughts will go a long way to helping them think through their issues, problems, and challenges. By doing this they will know they have your support which can be the foundation for them to feel like they can talk to you about difficult issues, possibly including whether or not to seek a therapist.
Another suggestion is to seek out therapy for yourself if you feel that your anxiety is having a negative effect on your daily life. After some time of regular therapy sessions your spouse may see you becoming less anxious and may be more convinced of the benefits of regularly seeing a therapist.
Signed,
Your Compassionate Therapist