Credit: Getty
Debbie Harry just explained why therapy is worth undergoing, even if you find it mentally exhausting to really look into yourself.
Debbie Harry is an icon. From the bleached blonde hair to the icy vocals on some of the coolest music records ever made, the Blondie frontwoman is a trailblazer. Of course, this kind of turbulent life comes with many twists, turns, ups and downs, which Harry recently recalled in her autobiography, Face It.
Speaking about the book in the most recent episode of the Homo Sapiens podcast, the singer discusses the issues she has faced, from being stalked by multiple people to dealing with heroin addiction and making a stand in the male-dominated world of music.
And, in a more relatable moment in the interview, Harry explains how she still uses therapy to navigate life.
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“I think therapy is a terrific way to go,” Harry says, “I recommend it highly. I don’t think you have to be in therapy forever, but I think you have to be willing to really take a good look: identify things about yourself, about your personal history.
“And I’m still discovering things. It’s kind of fascinating. Once you allow yourself to put the pieces together – really put them together, and not some kind of fantasy.”
But Harry acknowledges the fears and emotions that come with starting therapy in the first place, continuing: “To have self-esteem and self-love is a terrible challenge.”
She poignantly adds: “I just think it’s worth the fight. But it is a fight.”
Her assertion of therapy being a “fight” will no-doubt resonate will some of the 1.6 million people who were referred for talking therapies related to anxiety and depression in 2018/19.
Although more people are seeking therapy and honest conversations are breaking the traditional stigma around it, the process can still feel difficult and mentally exhausting – but it will be worth it.
In fact, writer and founder of Culture Minds Therapy directory, Sharnade George, recently told Stylist why it’s important for clients to push themselves and open up, saying: “The whole aim of therapy is for the client to understand what they’re experiencing, how it impacts their lives and what changes they want to make.
“As a therapist, I can’t advise a client what changes they should make – they need to come up with their own changes, because otherwise that’s me telling them how they should live their life and what they should do.”
You can listen to Debbie Harry’s full interview on the Homo Sapiens podcast.
For more information on finding a therapist and seeking both free and private therapy, you can check out Mind’s website or access the NHS guide.
Top image: Getty
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