It’s time we normalise therapy
I am working from home today.
Surprised? Don’t I always do that? No, not always these days.
I joined a co-working space 3 months back. I’ve not used more than 10pc of my quota. I felt guilty about this. I have tried to make going there a habit to ‘fix’ this, but being there the whole day doesn’t suit my work. My sweet spot for writing is from late afternoon till the evening. Our house help, Banu, comes to work then & this disturbs my rhythm. The boys wake up and want my attention. Going to ‘office’, as our driver calls it, makes sense then.
I have a mechanical task to do today. Reviewing 800 entries in an excel sheet. I can do it at home.
Banu called in sick. This helped me work undisturbed, though it was not good for the house.
I would have felt guilty about not going till yesterday. I discussed my quandary with my therapist yesterday. She said that going to a co-working space was recommended to me when I was wracked by self doubt, lacked focus & was intimidated by social media. The logic was that being in the company of others, instead of alone, would give me confidence. I have been more ‘out there’ of late because of my shoots, restaurant & industry meet visits, gymming. I feel more grounded. The co-working space now meets a practical, not an emotional need.
I shared this anecdote with you to show how therapists can help.
Just as celebrated chef, Hussain Shahzad, normalised having a coach by sharing from his life on social media recently.
I’ve had a therapist for 2.5 years. This has helped me tackle deep rooted as well as everyday issues. Going to a therapist/ coach is seen as a sign of weakness. It elicits judgement. This is a Gen X & Boomer thing IMO. Gen Z & millenials appreciate mental health issues better. BTW you don’t just have to lie on a couch in a therapist’s office for therapy. Online works well for me. What’s important is finding a therapist you connect with & who suits you financially as consistency matters.
Just as it would with dietician or a physical trainer for eg. Paraphrasing Hussain, ‘if you are struggling with self doubt…or just feeling uncertain about life…know that a support system exists.
Ps: The picture of the boys are meant to give you an idea of my work from home environment.
