So You're Waiting for Therapy—Now What?

Let’s talk about the space in-between. That stretch of time between knowing you need therapy and actually sitting on that couch or screen talking it out. Whether you’re a dad, not a dad, a dog dad, or just a dude trying to stay afloat—this one’s for you.

Waiting for therapy can feel like standing in a long DMV line with no end in sight… except instead of renewing your license, you're trying to renew your sanity.

Here’s the deal: That time waiting doesn't have to be wasted. At Fathership Program Inc., we know that healing isn’t reserved for once-a-week 50-minute sessions. It starts with what you do every day. So while you wait, here are some real tools you can use to keep from spiraling, snapping, or going full-on Hulk-smash on your kitchen cabinet because you couldn’t find your favorite mug (true story, don’t ask).

1. Get Physical (No, Not Like That)

Walk. Run. Punch a pillow. Ride a bike. Do push-ups until your arms give out and you’re flopping like a fish on the floor. Movement isn’t just good for your body—it clears the mind and burns off some of that “I’m-about-to-lose-it” energy.

Even a 5-minute stretch in your living room counts. Just keep it moving.

2. Journal Like a Teen Girl in the 90s

Look, don’t knock it. Dumping your thoughts onto paper is one of the fastest ways to get the chaos out of your head. No one’s grading it. Scribble, rant, draw angry stick figures if you need to. The point is to process instead of suppress.

Bonus: You’ll have some quality material when you finally do meet with your therapist.

3. Talk to Someone Who Listens (and Doesn’t Try to Fix You)

Call a buddy. Your uncle. Your barista. Hell, talk to your dog. Sometimes just saying the hard stuff out loud breaks the pressure. If they try to interrupt or fix you—just say, “Thanks, but I really just needed to vent.” And if they get weird? That's not your problem. Your healing is priority.

4. Breathe… Yes, You Heard Me

When you’re about to blow, stop and breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Count to four each time. Yeah, it sounds cliché. But so is “drink water,” and you still need to do that too.

If you're really feeling it, try box breathing: 4 seconds in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. Navy SEALS use it. So can you.

5. Use That Voice in Your Head for Good

You know that voice that tells you you’re not enough, no one cares, and everything’s falling apart? Yeah, that one. Challenge it. Say, “Hey, thanks for sharing, but I’m not taking advice from my anxiety today.”

Sometimes I treat mine like a heckler in the crowd. And I’m the comic with the mic.

6. Remember—You’re Not Broken, You’re Human

Men are taught to be silent. To handle it. To carry it all and never flinch. But carrying too much for too long breaks anyone. That doesn’t make you weak. It makes you overdue for a reset.

And brother, you're allowed to take up space while you wait for help.

Bonus Tool: Come Hang With Us

While you wait for therapy, you’re not alone. That’s why we built Fathership Program Inc.—not just for fathers, but for all men who are tired of pretending everything’s fine when it’s clearly not.

We don’t claim to have all the answers—but we’ll walk with you while you find yours. That’s what this space is for.

So until that therapy appointment rolls around, keep showing up for yourself. One step, one breath, one awkward journal entry at a time.

You’ve got this.

Written by: Todd Thomas Fathership Program Inc.

Because violence is a boy’s answer to a man’s problem.