When did you start going to therapy? How did you feel about the idea of going when you started?
I have gone to therapy on various occasions throughout my life. It was always a safe space to share my thoughts and feelings.
How did fatherhood impact your mental health journey?*
Yes. Becoming a father is a lot of things all at once. Throw a pandemic into it and the normal pillars that can anchor you disappear pretty quickly. With scheduling it took a few months to get back to regular therapy but I could see I was not prioritizing things properly and things were getting dropped.
Do any of your mental health issues relate to your own relationship with your parents? With parenting your own child?
If you believe Freud everything relates back to our childhoods. I would say something I was really conscious of was my relationship with my partner.
What advice do you have for other dads about going to therapy or asking for help?
We can’t do everything on our own. As we get older and more responsibility is added to our plates it’s important to have the support and guidance to ensure you can prioritize and show up for your partner and kid. (If you remember it)
What was your first therapy session like? Describe it for other dads (let’s reduce stigma!)
It was getting to know the therapist and talking about some of the things i wanted to work on.
Have you ever walked away from therapy with a big learning? Can you share it with us?
I go regularly. There wasn’t a best or worse. Different sessions I work through different things.
Has therapy helped your parenting? Has therapy helped your relationships?
Yes. Being able to talk about things in a selfish way without anyone else being the focus is really helpful.