I had a particularly awesome therapy session this week (which I’m excited to write to you about - maybe next week!). As most of you know already, I love thinking about two sides of an issue.  (And also this topic was presented so clearly in College. Great Job SK!)

I wanted to focus on the question: should we all be getting mental health annual visits as we would an annual physical? To make sure we’re “working” correctly. And that we are healthy. Emotionally, this time. 

The idea of annual therapist visits, like your yearly physical, has a certain appeal to me. Imagine if checking in on your mental health was as routine as checking your vitamin D or getting your blood pressure checked. For some people, I really believe that it could be a life-altering shift—a scheduled time to reflect and recalibrate before stress or unresolved emotions spiral out of control. As we’ve spoken about before, therapy doesn’t have to only be about crises or earth-shattering revelations. Sometimes, it’s about carving out space to ask yourself, Am I okay? What do I need to tweak? In a world that never stops moving, this 50 minute or so pause alone could feel like a gift.

Ahh. Sounds heavenly to me!  

But let’s be honest—not everyone’s jumping at the idea. Some might feel like an annual session is forced, an annoying spotlight on things they’d rather not think about. Therapy asks for vulnerability, and not everyone is ready to go there just because it’s on the calendar. And then there’s the practical side—mental health isn’t like cholesterol levels where you can say, “Well, your sadness is at a 6.2; and anxiety is at a 7.3.  Let’s lower that.” 

Some years, you might not need it at all. Other years, well, yeah. Let’s just say: You need it . And — you probably even need more than just one session. Mental health is messy, and a cookie-cutter schedule like a yearly appointment, doesn’t always feel right.

Still, it’s my opinion that there’s something powerful about normalizing going for therapy check ins. If an annual mental health check-in became as routine as a flu shot, it might help the stigma that still keeps people silent, people in pain, and people unnecessarily blissfully NOT self aware. This could force everyone into a setting of introspection. And goal setting. And accountability..

The key is:  making it feel like an opportunity, not an obligation. For those who give it a “shot”, (no pun intended) an annual mental health visit could be a reset button—a chance to get perspective, lighten the load, and move into the next year with a little more clarity, control and a lot of self awareness. 

Who can’t use that?

, SHIFI