Common myths about counseling
MYTH: Counseling is only for those living with very serious psychological problems.
FACT: Counseling does help those with very serious psychological problems. It also is very effective for:
- Couples wanting to strengthen their relationship, couples or individuals comtemplating a relationship change (marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of children, and so on)
- Individuals who want to work on self esteem, communication, or assertiveness
- Anyone juggling multiple demands: managing work/school, family, and personal needs
- Adjusting to big changes: moving to a new home/school, coming out, new children in the family, marriage/re-marriage, separations, retirement, career changes, changes in health and or functioning, the death of a loved one
- People who want to continue or support the work they are already doing: staying clean & sober, moving forward toward their life goals
- Rediscovering joy in their lives
MYTH: Only the weak seek counseling. If I were only strong, I could just handle things.
FACT: There is no weakness in those who seek counseling. It takes courage to explore sensitive feelings and possibly painful experiences. Counseling is a direct and effective step towards resolving difficulties.
MYTH: A good therapist will tell me what to do to fix my problems.
FACT: Counseling is not a quick fix cure. A good therapist will:
- Assess your situation
- Explore your thoughts, feelings, and concerns with you
- Develop an action plan that matches your goals
- Guide & assist you to reach the goals you have set for your self
MYTH: You won't get it -- you're not me. How can you understand what I am going through after all, we are so different?
FACT: It is true that no two people are the same. We each have our unique experiences, thoughts, & feelings. Even people who have experienced a similar event, can have very different thoughts & feelings about that very same event. Counselors are trained to be sensitive to and respectful of individual differences including gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, spirituality, age, physical health, orientation, social/economic status, and so on. Not every counselor is a good fit for every client. My primary concern is that you get the best counseling available to you -- even if that means that I may need to refer you to another resource for services.
