In most cases, when a stressful situation arises, a person internalizes this problem, thinks about it for a long time, and tries to solve it on his own.🔹 Often he can turn to loved ones for support. But the problem is that our loved ones also have their own problems, they cannot focus only on us. In addition, they can rarely see our problem from the other side, which would lead to a solution; they see it the same way as you.🔹 Some people think: “Why a psychologist when I have a best friend?” But it’s worth remembering that a friend is not a professional, he can make mistakes, give advice that will be useless and even dangerous for you.🔹 Many people think that going to a psychologist is only needed as a last resort, when you’ve already got the hang of it and “it’s impossible to live like this any longer” . In fact, a specialist also helps with smaller problems and conditions, as long as they have not yet led to very difficult-to-bear sensations. When people undergo a medical examination, this does not cause anyone to panic; checking one’s health for unobvious problems is considered normal. It is also very important to check your psychological state, especially since many illnesses are the result of unresolved internal conflicts. The task of a psychologist is to show you the problem that has arisen from a completely different perspective, make it simpler and give you a vision of how to solve it. This will not be someone else’s advice, an action plan on how to “improve your life.” This will be the way you have found to overcome it, put it in a productive direction, and cope with it. As a result of working with a specialist, you begin to understand the reason for the current situation, how and from which side to approach its solution. Moreover, you will become more confident in yourself, in your abilities, and will be able to cope with many circumstances and experiences on your own.*** Many people are frightened by the unknown before their first visit to a psychologist. How can you tell a stranger about your difficulties and fears? What if they don’t understand, judge, criticize, ridicule, devalue? A professional psychologist will under no circumstances do these terrible things. On the contrary, he will support you and do everything possible to make you feel safe. The consultation takes place in an atmosphere of trust and psychological comfort. You decide for yourself what to tell the specialist; perhaps over time you will want to be more frank and supplement your story with details and facts that will help in determining the optimal way out of a difficult situation. And a specialist will help you calm down, relax, “see” the problem more clearly, formulate a clear and understandable attitude towards it, determine the boundaries of its influence on your life. It is very important to understand that a psychologist combines professional knowledge, practical experience and the ability to listen to you in order to help It is up to you to overcome your difficulties. Usually a “problem” is formulated by a person in terms of the world external to him: “I have no money, my health has deteriorated, my husband has cheated, my child has gotten away from me, etc.” A person believes that suffering is caused to him by the world around him, not realizing that he is directly related to what is happening in his life. External events are consequences of internal causes. It is to see these internal reasons, internal factors in yourself that a specialist helps, because only by starting with yourself can you change your life. Remember: turning to a psychologist does not mean that “you are crazy/abnormal.” On the contrary, it means that you are an adult who is ready for self-change and taking responsibility for your life.