I see a shrink - and so should you.

Most people would look at me and say, "Well why do you need a shrink? You're fine." Truth be told, I'm actually not fine. That's why I go see a therapist, and in turn, I'm fine because I see a therapist.

Aside from my on-campus counselor, I have a call-in session every Friday morning with "Doc" Warren. And, for an hour, we talk: I express concerns or issues that I have and am dealing with, and he tells me stories about his life experiences. No, he isn't a story teller; that's just how he conducts therapy. His stories address the issues that I bring up, relaying a message that helps me understand and cope with the things I'm feeling. There's no crazy psychobabble, no reading from a manual on how to help, or even note taking. Doc Warren just...helps.

Not every therapist is like him. For starters, I doubt a lot of therapists actually call themselves "shrinks," whereas he does in almost every session that I have with him. Secondly, he divulges some personal stuff (of course, I won't be retelling exactly what he has told me) that help put things in my life into perspective. Other therapists may do that, but it's tied into methods of coping and managing as well.

As for my on-campus counselor, Marisa is great. Like Doc Warren, she tells it like it is. If I'm feeling really depressed, or if I'm freaking out about something, she'll tell me that it's perfectly okay for me to feel the way I feel. And, once I'm feeling less worked up over something, she'll help me figure out how to manage it. Unlike Doc Warren, however, she doesn't really tell stories about her experiences, but focuses more on my stories. I'll say what's bothering me, and she'll ask me how it makes me feel, which is both positive and negative for me. It's great because I get to reflect upon myself, yet it's also difficult and frustrating sometimes because I don't always know how something makes me feel. Sometimes I'll have a hurricane of emotions swirling inside of me, and I can't narrow it down to one primary feeling.

My point is, seeing a therapist really helps me. Doc Warren got me from a completely unstable mental state to being stable enough to go off to college...with only five sessions. Marisa talked me out of a severe panic attack at the beginning of the semester, as well as calmed me down when I went through social and mental hell in November.

Talking to someone in a time of need, especially those who are trained to sort things out, is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. By taking the initiative to get help, you're letting yourself begin the healing process. Just remember that not every therapist is going to be the best fit for you. If you find that you aren't sensing a good vibe with one therapist, it's okay to go find another.

It's okay to ask for help. Humans are not invincible; you are not an exception to that rule.

I see a shrink - and so should you.