I feel like crying
by Roamers Therapy | September 2021
Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
Asking for permission to cry has been one of the most interesting questions I’ve heard as a therapist. Along with crying, there are often a series of apologies that follow crying. Of course, the reasons why individuals feel the need to ask for permission or continuously apologize for their crying may be associated with their upbringing and/or mental health symptoms.
Many of us grew up in home environments where crying was perhaps not tolerated or even ignored. Throughout life, we might start believing that crying often repels individuals from our life or might be associated with adverse experiences, so we might avoid doing it. While crying is as natural as any of our physiological responses, there are sometimes things we should be mindful of when processing why we cry.
Crying spells and consistent tearfulness might be a signal of our current emotional state. This signal or symptom is often associated with emotional dysregulation. Research shows that emotional dysregulation is a hallmark experience of depression. Maybe throughout this brief article, you’ve connected the dots that crying results from our emotional experiences and mental state that is associated with depression and/or even anxiety.
Coming back to experiences when individuals ask for permission to cry, the answer is always yes. You’re allowed to experience emotions. In therapy, we also find other ways to respond and process emotions as well as crying. In a nutshell, therapy is a journey of emotional exploration and processing.
Key takeaways:
- Yes, you can cry in therapy; it’s a natural emotional response
- Crying spells and consistent tearfulness are associated with emotional dysregulation
- Emotions and crying are often associated with depression and/or anxiety
- In therapy, we explore alternative ways to respond and process emotions, including crying
While our physical offices are located in South Loop and Lakeview neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois for in-person sessions, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more.
At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.
First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.