Toi Glover鈥檚 CAPS Experience
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I made the decision to begin my therapy journey again. Therapy isn鈥檛 new to me. I spent a year in it before returning, but I鈥檝e learned that growth doesn鈥檛 stop just because we age or think we鈥檝e 鈥渨orked through鈥 certain things. As life keeps moving, moments arise that quietly, or abruptly, shift our perspective. Some of those moments sit heavy and deserve to be unpacked thoughtfully. For me, therapy is the safest and most effective space to do exactly that.
That realization led me to ask a simple question: why struggle to search through multiple platforms for a therapist when Cal State University Long Beach offers Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a resource already within reach? CAPS made the process feel less overwhelming and reminded me that support sometimes exists closer than we think; we just must be willing to use it.
This month, I attended my first session, and during that hour, I felt something I didn鈥檛 realize I had been missing: relief. I also felt proud of myself for choosing to pause and show up for my own well-being. It was an hour dedicated solely to me, an hour where I allowed myself to be honest, vulnerable, and even a little selfish. I was able to look inward, release pent-up thoughts, and walk away with a deeper sense of emotional awareness. By the end of the session, I remembered exactly why therapy once meant so much to me.
Afterward, I found myself genuinely excited to return. I couldn鈥檛 stop thinking about how CAPS had been available to me throughout my first and second semesters, yet I hadn鈥檛 taken advantage of it sooner. Still, that reflection only reinforced the truth behind the saying 鈥渂etter late than never.鈥 There is no expiration date on choosing yourself.
As I continue this journey, I hope to gain a stronger understanding of who I am, further develop my emotional intelligence, and begin breaking generational hardships that no longer serve me. Therapy can carry many stereotypes, but with age and experience, I鈥檝e learned that communication is at the core of everything. Whether it鈥檚 with a counselor, a friend, or a family member, talking things through can be the very thing that helps heal a wound we鈥檝e ignored for too long.
My hope is that anyone reading this feels encouraged to reach out, to start a conversation, seek support, or do something intentional for themselves, like beginning therapy. Having a safe space to explore who you are, without judgment, is powerful. Opening up can be difficult, but once you take that first step, the sense of release that follows can be incredibly freeing.
