So often people come to treatment with the expectation that their therapist or counselor will make them better, and to some extent that is true. We providers have the education and training to help you get better, but there is more to treatment than just coming to therapy. You have to be willing to do the work of recovery to get better.

That means taking a chance on you. That means taking the chance to open yourself up to doing the hard work of recovery, of diving down into the root of your problems and facing them head on. Daunting? Absolutely. Scary? You bet. But change does not happen without work, sadly.

I often tell my clients that I do not have the answers to their problems and that, also, to some extent is true. Sometimes it is easier for a trained outsider to see what is happening and make suggestions as to how to improve a situation or find a solution to a problem. But more so than not, the answers to the problem lie within you. You have the answers; they all are inside you. Let’s work together to find them. And when I say “work,” I mean work. Therapy is work, hard work. But the hard is what makes it great. Without the hard work put in by the client, nothing would ever change. It is through the hard work of recovery that change happens, and that is true for mental illness, substance use disorder or anything else that requires time and effort. And are you not worth it? Do you not deserve to take a chance on you, on making you better and happier and healthier?

So often people come to treatment thinking just a few sessions will make everything better. Perhaps for some people, that is true, but recovery more often than not takes time. Change does not happen over night, nor does it come for free. Recovery for many is a lifelong process that requires ongoing, daily effort. Similar to physical fitness, persistence in recovery pays off. The more time you spend working on your recovery, working on you, the bigger the dividends.

People usually come to treatment when they are thinking about or are ready to make a change, when they are ready to get better and find their way out of mental illness and/or substance abuse. But there is more to recovery than just wanting to get better, the question is, What are you willing to do for it? Are you willing to take medications? Are you willing to come to therapy once a week? Are you willing to embrace a healthier lifestyle? Are you willing to change your thinking? Are you willing to stop using illicit substances? What can you do to improve your chances of not just finding your way to recovery but sustaining that recovery?

Moving from mental illness and substance use to wellness is not easy. Anyone can come to treatment, but what are you willing to do to make recovery work for you? What are you willing to do to improve your situation? What are you willing to do to make your life one that brings you joy and comfort and peace? Are you willing to take a chance on you?