Myths abound…
If you’ve been living in this culture for a while you might have some of these ideas about counseling floating around in your head. Counseling is mistakenly defined as:
You’re ready for the looney bin.
It’s a crutch for “weak” people.
It’s for people who like nasal gazing (they’re too into themselves).
It’s for those folks who want to get psycho “analyzed”?
Counseling is none of these. More percisely…
Counseling helps with problems in living through an interaction with a trained professional.
- It offers a way to gain perspective on your behavior, emotions and relationships.
- It provides a means to express your feelings and identify patterns of thinking.
- It helps to alleviates anxiety, depression and anger in their many forms.
- It helps to develop communication skills for dealing with conflict and frustration.
- It is a means for addressing pain, working through loss and adding meaning to your life.
And, it may or may not include any of the following methods: advice giving, instruction, skill development, process consultation and/or opinion.
But you’re missing the boat if that’s all you think counseling is…
So, what is counseling?
Counseling is a way to be empowered.
Counseling is for individuals who are courageously facing their fears, who want more from their life, who want to expand their lives and achieve goals both personally and professionally.
And, in the process, counseling can change your brain.
