If You Were The First In Your Family To Go To Therapy, You Likely Have These 11 Courageous Traits
Artem Ermilov / Shutterstock Going to therapy isn’t easy. While it can be the best option for many of us, taking the first step to get help can feel overwhelming. It can be difficult to admit that we need help for our mental health.
Often, people attend therapy because of issues within their family. Let’s be honest, even if we love our people, they all make mistakes. We’ve all had moments in our childhood that we remember, whether they are good or bad. When you’re the first person in your family to go to therapy, you are taking the courageous step to move past family troubles. You want to break unhealthy patterns and are ready to take the next step. People who are the first in their family to go to therapy have traits that give them the courage to move forward.
If you were the first in your family to go to therapy, you likely have these 11 courageous traits
1. You are vulnerable
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Being vulnerable is often the first step to creating real change. By embracing vulnerability, going to therapy can be life-changing. Opening up about personal mistakes and the things that have hurt you over time can foster a better environment. Not only are you working through your trauma, but you are also looking forward to a better future. It’s not something that everyone can do.
If you have this courageous trait, you may be able to make the first step and go to therapy. You are ready to break unhealthy family patterns.
2. You are strong
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Emotionally strong people can manage stress more easily than the average person. If you were the first person in your family to go to therapy, you likely have this courageous trait. It takes grit to look at your life and try to work through the hard stuff. It can be difficult reliving painful moments. However, when someone has the strength to do this, they can help change their family dynamic forever.
Strong people can bounce back from painful things. By going to therapy, they are looking to break family cycles. They want to work through it rather than bury their true feelings.
3. You are courageous
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Going to therapy takes courage. You have to be ready to take a good, hard look at your past. How you handle situations is shaped by your childhood. We mirror our parents' behaviors whether we want to or not. This can continue painful family cycles.
It takes courage to change. If someone has this trait, they are likely willing to put in the effort and be the first in their family to go to therapy.
4. You are independent
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Without independence, you may not make the first move to seek therapy. People who allow their families to control their lives will likely be swayed to not go to therapy. If there is an unhealthy family cycle, other members may perpetuate it whether they want to or not. Sometimes, our independence can be a result of trauma. If we feel our family isn’t supporting us, we may take on the role of our sole supporter.
Hyper-independence can have a negative correlation. However, having a healthy level of independence can allow you to take the courageous step to attend therapy.
5. You are secure
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If you take the first step to attend therapy, you are likely secure in yourself. This is a trait that not everyone has. Insecurity can cause us to stay in unhealthy family cycles. Being proud of ourselves and who we are can allow us to become better. This trait can encourage the best in us.
Going to therapy can be scary, especially when working through family trauma. By being secure in yourself, you are brave. You want to be the best version of yourself that you can be.
6. You are emotionally mature
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Emotional maturity goes a long way. If someone isn’t mature enough to reflect on their flaws, they won’t learn much in therapy. In fact, they may not seek help at all. If you take the first step to better your unhealthy family patterns, you are likely emotionally mature. You want to grow from your past and improve your future.
By going to therapy, you want to resolve conflict. "There's no escaping the fact that conflicts are going to arise in life, but it’s a matter of how you handle them. Emotionally mature people will seek to resolve conflicts, rather than prolong their existence, or thrive off of their chaos," says Wendy Wisner.
7. You are resilient
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If you are naturally resilient, you are always moving forward. Bad things may happen, but you don’t let them get you down for long. Instead, you rise above and work towards improvement. Resilient people are likely unafraid to lead the charge in attending therapy. They see what they dislike about their life and work to improve it. Instead of living in constant unhealthy patterns, they want to be the ones to break the cycle.
Resilient people can calmly address a situation. It can make going to therapy especially successful for them. They may have the courage to start therapy that no one in their family had before them.
8. You are open-minded
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If you don’t have an open mind, therapy will likely be difficult. You have to have the ability to look hard at yourself. Open-minded people may not be focused on defending themselves. Instead, they are open and ready for change. Having an open mind towards therapy can be the start to growing through difficult moments.
Attending therapy with an open mind can allow you to see the bigger picture. By doing this, you are growing through trauma instead of letting it consume you. It can lead to monumental change.
9. You are open to change
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We cannot change if we are not willing to. We’ve heard the phrase thousands of times that you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves. Being open to change is a special trait that helps people to move forward. Instead of continuing unhealthy patterns, they break through the madness to come out happier at the end. Therapy requires hard work, and you have to be open to change to succeed.
When in therapy, you have to be open to taking risks to make a change. If you attend therapy ready to change and improve yourself, you are courageous. It’s no surprise you were the first person to go to therapy in your family.
10. You are committed
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Therapy is not for everyone. It takes a level of commitment to attend and learn from therapy. Some people may not be able to make the commitment it takes to grow from it. If you are the type of person who gives their all to everything they do, you are likely the first person in your family to go to therapy. You are committed to bettering your life, no matter how much therapy it takes to move forward.
Therapy helps people move through their emotions and trauma. However, it isn’t going to work if there isn’t true commitment. If giving your all to things comes naturally, you are likely going to succeed in therapy.
11. You are future-forward
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Some people struggle to work towards the future. Instead, they stay in the same constant cycle they are in. Whether they are in denial or not interested in bettering themselves, it takes a forward-thinking person to succeed in therapy. If you are the type of person who wants to build the best future for yourself that you can, you may be interested in pursuing therapy. As the first in your family to do this, you are breaking the mold. In return, your children will likely have a better future.
"Studies show that people who regularly think about the future tend to make better decisions in the present, from saving money to exercising more consistently. When you can picture your future self clearly—whether it’s five minutes, five days, or five years from now—you’re more likely to make choices that benefit that version of you," says Jennice Vilhauer, Ph.D.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
