Certain mental health issues can be draining, making it more difficult to take proper care of yourself as you normally would. For some, the question regarding whether or not a therapist or counselor cares about appearances weighs on them heavily. Do you find yourself skipping appointments because you don’t think your therapist would accept the way you look? If so, let’s evaluate whether or not that truly matters to them.
Mental health professionals only care about your appearance to a certain degree.
If you feel like you don’t have the energy to get dressed when working with your therapist for anxiety and depression, don’t worry. Your therapist understands that fatigue is a symptom of your condition and will notice that your initiative to get to therapy far surpasses what you’re wearing once you get there. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t entirely disregard appearance. You will still want to take basic care of yourself so that you don’t go into the doctor’s office smelling or visibly dirty. This can be embarrassing and you may be asked to leave. As long as you are practicing good hygiene and putting in some effort, they won’t care if you’re putting on sweatpants and t-shirts with a relaxed fit.
You should still make an effort to dress up if you can.
Clothing has more power over our mood than we give it credit for. Often, we wear clothes that represent how we feel or we choose clothes that provide us with a certain feeling. Put simply, you are what you wear. If you’re looking to feel better about yourself, make an effort to dress up not for your therapist but for yourself. It’s amazing what a simple change of wardrobe can do for your mental health. If you don’t have any clothing that you can wear that makes you feel powerful, don’t worry. You can always get started by taking the first step.
The best way to begin is by looking for individual clothing items that make you feel snazzy and offer the perfect fit. For example, you can start by looking for a pair of dress pants. More formal pants can fit tight with a petite size style or flair out at the bottom while offering a tight fit around the waist. There are plenty of styles out there to give you the perfect look. Once you have your dress pants (or even slacks or leggings), then you just need your dress shirts, blazers, and other accessories that really tie your look together. With the right power outfit, looking and feeling good is just one change of clothes away!
If you’re not feeling your best, try teletherapy.
If your anxiety disorder or depression is making you feel like you can’t go out, it’s not a problem. Psychotherapy is now something that you can pursue from home. Teletherapy makes it possible to receive therapy from home either by chatting via a webcam or talking to your psychologist on the phone. This way, you don’t have to worry about your appearance, or you could throw a nice shirt on and fix your hair real quick. If a trip to the office is overwhelming, you can always opt for cognitive behavioral therapy from your bed or your couch.
Most therapists don’t concern themselves with their patients’ appearances as they understand how impactful certain mental disorders can be. As such, you don’t need to worry about what you look like as long as you’re taking care of yourself so that you’re presentable. Whether you choose in-person therapy or virtual therapy, you will be ready for your next session no matter how you’re dressed!
Leave a Reply