Symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression Interpersonal difficulties with family or romantic relationship Grief (such as breakups, deaths, parental divorce, or other major losses) Questions/confusion about identity, sexuality, or gender Concerns about body image and relationship with food Trauma (such as experiencing a catastrophic natural disaster, sexual assault, relationship violence, or abuse) Thoughts of suicide or hurting others Harming behaviors, such as cutting or substance abuse
You are unhappy most days You worry excessively, feel on edge constantly, or feel overwhelmed often You have experienced a change in your appetite or your weight that varies significantly from what is normal and there isn’t a medical cause You have experienced a significant loss (breakup, a parent’s death) You have dramatically increased your use of substances such as alcohol or drugs You have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else
Working with a counselor will not solve all your problems. Instead, in working with a counselor, you will learn to build coping skills and problem-solving skills that will help you handle life’s challenges in a more productive way. Other goals can be to reduce addiction, break free from an eating disorder, or escape an abusive relationship.
Individual therapy is most common. You meet with your therapist one-on-one and you are the focus of each session. People suffering from chronic psychological disorders, such as OCD, bipolar, depression, and trauma benefit from individual therapy as a way to continuously monitor progress and learn ways to cope and work through issues. Group therapy is especially helpful in learning skills. Less attention is on you, and more time is devoted to learning skills, practicing them, and then enacting them throughout the week. Family therapy is often recommended for drug rehabilitation and eating disorder rehabilitation, as families can play a large role in recovery. Couples often seek counseling together when they feel a significant strain on their relationship. Counselors may choose to see couples together in addition to having separate sessions. If you want a religious context for counsel, seek a rabbi, pastor, priest, or other religious leaders in your community. Religious counseling is sometimes helpful for people who want to follow a path rooted in religious teaching.
Make a decision whether you prefer to pay through insurance or out of pocket before beginning counseling. Accepted forms of payment will vary among counselors.
Some providers hold a doctorate (such as Ph. D. and Psy. D. ), meaning they received extensive schooling (five+ years) in mental health and most likely conducted in research. Other professionals hold a Master’s degree (like licensed social workers, licensed professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists), who typically receive two to three years of post-university education. Some psychiatrists (medical doctors) also offer counseling, although they are trained specifically to manage medications. If you are seeking help for substance abuse, then you can see a substance abuse counselor. They may not hold a degree, but they have gone through training and are qualified to offer counseling. All of the above are qualified to offer counseling if they offer it.
Many counselors will speak with you ahead of time or have you fill out paperwork prior to your appointment that outlines much of the information above. They will tell you how to come prepared. The counselor may take some time to describe her role in treatment as well as your role in treatment. The counselor may also outline ways that she uses to treat individual’s having similar problems as you, and techniques she may use in counseling. She can outline the course of therapy and help you develop goals if you are unclear of your goals for counseling.
Practice skills may include finding new ways to deal with stress, such as deep breathing. You can practice different ways to resolve conflict, such as using active listening or not casting blame. Not all counselors will assign practice skills or activities.
