Many times, people feel they are ready for something to change, but they aren't sure if therapy is the right choice for right now. It could be financial reasons, scheduling issues, or just not feeling quite ready to invite another person into what feels messy.
If that's you, I often recommend that you try reading a therapy book (or several) before starting therapy. Not only will this help you begin the processing whenever you are ready, but it will also give you some common language with your therapist.
Sometimes, it can even save you money, because if your therapist is spending some time on "psychoeducation" in session, then you can save yourself those minutes in therapy.
One of the books I like recommending is the book "Getting Past Your Past" by Francine Shapiro. (I don't recommend the audiobook, it put me to sleep for some reason. The narrator wasn’t my favorite.) I like this book because the author, being the person who created EMDR, means everything you will read in that book will help prepare you for EMDR therapy, and even begin the process before you ever step foot into a therapy office. This book has many different exercises you can try at home. You may not like all the exercises, that's normal. You may even find that you want to like the exercises, but you need to change them somehow to work for you. That's also normal. I have a friend that tried one exercise from this book on one of her triggers, and even though she didn't finish the book, it helped her with that particular trigger significantly. She doesn't feel ready to tackle the rest, and that's okay!
She just wanted this one area of her life to feel better.
And now it does. That's the other great thing about books, you get to go just as far as you want, and no farther. Books don't care if you ghost them and then come back to them when you're ready for more.
I am in the middle of reading the book "What Happened to You?" by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry. This is one that is also a wonderful preparation book for therapy. I'm only halfway through, but I've read enough to say it is definitely worth considering. You might even start with this one, and then move on to "Getting Past Your Past" by Shapiro.
However, if you've read these books, and others, and you still feel stuck and can't seem to move forward, that can be a good indicator that it is time for therapy. You've done all the preparation work you can. A therapist (assuming it’s the right fit) can help you get unstuck when all the books in the world aren't helping. Sometimes it takes an attachment with someone who can help you ride the waves and navigate this messy world. Sometimes it takes longer than you think it will to land where you'd like to be. That's okay. It's frustrating, of course. But isn't the investment in your life worth it?
At the end of the day, if therapy doesn't feel possible right now, for whatever reason, remember there are other options for you.
Reading books is one option that can still get you serious progress and help you take the next step. (You can often find these books at the library or on your library app- if you want to try them before you buy them!)