Why Counseling?

Among all of the options for addressing mental health, why might someone choose counseling? Below is a list of some reasons for choosing counseling:

1. Counselors offer empathy. What is the difference between empathy and sympathy? Watch this video from Brene Brown who illustrates the difference and why empathy is so powerful.
2. Counselors have training in mental health, how the brain works, along with experience in proven techniques to aid in relief of many different symptoms. Licensed Professional Counselors have a minimum of a Masters degree with training in diagnosing and counseling techniques. The “talk” part of therapy is helpful, but there is purpose behind what a counselor does.
3. Speaking shame reduces shame. Many people feel alone in their illness or symptoms and this leads to shame. Shame wants us to isolate, and speaking our shame allows us to have power over it. Read more about shame in this blog post.
4. No judgement. Counseling is a judgement free zone and centers around a client’s goals.
5. A counselor does not have a previous knowledge of you or your circumstances. This allows for no bias, or preconceived notions about your story. We also do not interact between sessions, allowing separation between the counseling relationship and other relationships.
6. Counselors can help you gain insight, and think about things in a new way. Counselors have a unique way of asking certain questions and directing the conversation to flow in a certain way, allowing for increased insight and “aha” moments.
7. It challenges you to face struggles in your life and move toward positive change. Not all parts of counseling are easy and fun. Counselors will lean in a challenge in ways that a “regular friend” will not, pushing toward change.
8. Sessions allow you focused time to do self-reflection which most of us do not take the time out to do. In our “busy” worlds, we do not take enough time out to reflect on our thoughts and choices. Counseling offers a safe place to do so.
9. It is empowering. We all have the ability to take control of our thinking, feelings and behaviors. Counselors also offer encouragement, and counseling tends to naturally lead to increased self-esteem and confidence, giving you the desire and motivation to make change.
10. Increased self-awareness which is the key to long lasting change. All of the above lead to this crucial step in the change process. We cannot change or move forward if we don’t know where we are currently at.

Contact us if you would like to begin counseling today.

Check out this video where I talk more specifically about a few of these reasons.