How do I know it's time to start therapy?

One of the most common things I hear in a first session is: "I wasn't sure this was serious enough to come in." There is a quiet belief that therapy is only for breaking points. In practice, most people who benefit from therapy are simply tired — of carrying the same worry, the same argument, the same heaviness alone.

Here are some gentler signals worth listening to: you feel drained after interactions that used to feel easy; your sleep has quietly changed; you keep re-reading old messages or rehearsing conversations; you are functioning, but joy feels muted; or the people around you keep telling you that you seem different.

Starting therapy doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It means you've decided to stop negotiating with your struggles on your own. The first session is simply a conversation — no commitments, no labels.