We hear this question a lot. And our first response is usually, "Have you ever tried it?" As a physician, you most likely wouldn't hesitate to recommend physical therapy to a patient with chronic pain, even if there was a small chance it might not help. But you will still do this because it is clinically indicated, and the risk vs. reward ratio is quite favorable. As a physician, you may even recommend psychotherapy to your own patients but question its' utility for your own difficulties.
If this is the case, we encourage you to engage in a brief reflection:
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What are the problems that you are trying to solve? Put another way, what is it in your life that you feel needs to get better?
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What is preventing you from being able to make things better on your own?
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How do you (realistically) plan to remove those barriers?
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When do you plan to start?
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If you don't have clear answers to all of the above questions, then therapy can help you figure it out. At the very least, having scheduled meetings with a therapist can keep you accountable to the goals and behavioral changes you have identified.
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