How do I know if I need counseling?
It is said that comfort is the enemy of change. The
impetus for considering counseling usually involves being uncomfortable
with some aspect of your life. The discomfort is actually a very healthy
thing as long as you don't ignore it. Consider the twinge of pain
you might get from a thorn piercing your skin; it directs your attention
to it, causing you to pull it out and prevent infection. Discomfort
prompts us to seek change. This feeling may come from an old problem
or from old pain that seems to follow you through the years of your
life. It may also come from a new problem that has caught you by surprise
or left you feeling stuck. Even in the absence of a big problem, you
may feel drawn to your potential to improve the quality of your life
in some way. The decision to work with a counselor is a very personal
one. You may have other ways you can help yourself- through your own
will power to do things differently, through gaining new ideas by
your own reading and discovery, or through talking with a trusted
friend or family member. There may be some private issues that you
do not choose to share with the people you know, and a counselor is
required by law to maintain confidentiality. Although you may be considering
counseling at the suggestion of someone you know, you are the one
who will be doing the work, so it will work best if you have identified
something that you want for yourself. If there is a positive change
that you are seeking in your life, then counseling can help you find
the missing pieces that will help you make progress.
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How long can I expect to be in counseling?
When working with an effective counselor, a little
work goes a long way. Tangible, visible change can happen relatively
quickly for most people. In fact, research shows that most of the
change in therapy happens within the first 6 sessions. If change doesn't
happen by that point, it is unlikely that change will happen through
counseling, at that time, and with that therapist. Some choose to
go longer if they are still experiencing benefits from the counseling
or when they have other areas of change to explore.
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What if I feel counseling is not helping me?
You are investing time, energy, and money in your counseling;
therefore, you deserve to feel satisfied with what you are getting
in return. A good counselor will seek your feedback about how the
counseling is going. Feel free to share your concerns if you feel
the counselor does not understand you or things are not improving
in your life. Research shows that the notion of "you have to feel worse before you start feeling better" is not true for most counseling clients. A competent counselor will be able to listen to your feedback and change the course of counseling to meet your needs. If it just doesn't
work with that counselor, seek a referral to another counselor or
talk with your counselor about other options outside of counseling
that may help you, such as support groups or other community resources.
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What are the differences between counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists? - I am not sure of the right place to get help.
These are all people within the "helping professions". The term "therapist" can
be used by anyone in these professions, so the term by itself does
not provide much information about their specific education or specialty.
Counselor : a therapist who has a master's degree and professional
license to provide counseling. They may have a master's
degree of counseling, psychology, marriage and family therapy, or social
work. Counselors help with a variety of issues, such
as depression, anxiety, relationship or family problems, and substance
abuse. Some pastors or ministers also provide counseling, and they can
be very helpful, but they are not licensed and do not usually have higher
education in any of the fields listed above.
Psychologist : a therapist with a doctoral degree in psychology.
A psychologist has training in counseling and in
research. Psychologists provide counseling and diagnostic
testing. They often use the title of "Doctor",
but are not medical doctors and are not able to
prescribe medication in Texas or in most other states.
Psychiatrist : a medical
doctor who specializes in mental health and the
chemistry of the brain. They are interested in how the
physical brain and human body interact with thought, behavior, and emotions.
Most psychiatrists do not provide much counseling or "talk
therapy".
Their primary activity is assessing the need for medication and prescribing
the correct medication their patient.
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