Benefits of Counseling

The benefits of counseling are proven and multiple. Research shows that talking therapies work just as well whether you’re old or young, male or female, white or black, gay or straight, working-class or middle-class. Your educational background or income makes no difference in efficacy. Counseling offers people the opportunity to identify the factors that contribute to their difficulties and to deal effectively with the psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and situational causes of those difficulties, sorting out the issues they can’t resolve on their own.

People may seek the benefits of counseling for the following reasons:

Pinpoint problems – understand aspects of the problems that may be improved.

• • Identify negative or illogical thinking patterns that contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, and develop a more positive outlook.
  • Explore learned thoughts and behaviors that create or maintain problems.
  • Regain a sense of control and pleasure in life.
  • Encourage support from family and friends.

• Find solutions to life’s problems.
• Discover personal strengths and how to use those strengths to grow stronger in other areas.

Individual counseling is just one option- groups, couples, and families can all seek counseling together, sometimes with even further success. Whether you seek individual or group counseling, the aim is the same: to assist with resolving problems, create coping strategies, and to make your life happier.

Here are some situations where counseling may help.

Mental Health Problems

Talking therapies can help if you have:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Relationship Issues

Difficult Life Events

If you’re going through a sad and upsetting time, talking therapies can help you work through the emotions you may be experiencing. Examples include grief counseling and stress counseling. Something seemingly innocuous, like buying a new home, can create huge amounts of stress on new homebuyers, as can financial stress.

Past abuse/trauma

If you’ve been physically or sexually abused, experienced discrimination or racism, or been through traumatic events, you may feel better able to cope with life after counseling.  A prime example of this is PTSD, a disorder experienced to varying degrees by survivors of violence, war, and abuse.  Read more about PTSD treatment on our blog.

Relationship Problems

Couples therapy can save a relationship that’s in trouble or help you through separation and divorce. Ideally, a couple should go to counseling together, but if your partner refuses to join you, counseling can help you sort out issues on your own. Marriage and family therapy has been shown to be a highly effective method of helping couples and families identify and address the barriers in their relationship that have led to persistent tension, conflict, or emotional alienation. With professional guidance, it is possible for couples and families to reduce conflict and restore a secure emotional attachment in surprisingly few sessions.

Anger

Anger, when not managed properly, can cause problems in relationships, work, and stress levels.  Counseling for anger can be beneficial for those who need to learn to control and manage anger.  Though anger is a natural feeling, it should be expressed in a constructive and healthy way.  During anger counseling sessions, a licensed therapist can help an individual:

Children

Talking therapy works as well for children as it does for adults. It can also help children with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and children who are in physical pain much of the time.

Chances are you or someone you know would benefit from counseling at some point. If you or someone you know needs help, our network of therapists can provide the necessary support you’re seeking.