Counseling
Organizing Thoughts and Feelings
Counseling helps us understand and organize our thoughts about circumstances and feelings that have become troublesome and persistent. We can get stuck in stressful or demanding situations that leave us feeling anxious, frustrated, or depressed. We may know, for example, that we are not living up to our potential but can’t find the initiative or right state of mind to do something about it. We may sense that our relationship or our job is no longer fulfilling, but not have the clarity to decide what steps to take to ameliorate the problem. We may know that we’ve been depressed or despondent and not really living the life we had hoped for but haven’t found a way to change it.
If we let too much time pass or don’t properly address our problems and circumstances, we may wind up paying the price for missed opportunities. We might stay too long with the wrong job or the wrong partner. We may not find a way to fix the existing problems or get past living with feelings and attitudes that are detrimental to our well-being.
Avoiding and Confronting Issues
Thinking about our most fundamental issues and problems is difficult. It is often easier to avoid them. We can go on being despondent or drinking too much or mistreating the people who matter most in our lives. We can let our anxieties lead to isolation and loneliness while passing up the opportunity to find fulfilling activities or meet others.
It is difficult for us to consider our lives by ourselves. It helps immeasurably to talk to someone who is listening, questioning, and offering feedback and suggestions. Just listening to ourselves talk about our life can lead to insights and initiatives that move us forward. Having another person encourage us to go on just when the going seems too difficult can help us confront a painful thought or feeling. The counselor’s interest encourages our own interest and provides us the courage to face our most difficult issues.
Get a New Perspective on Your Problems
Counseling encourages enhanced problem-solving and improved coping skills, which often lead to improvements in mood, stress tolerance, and relationships. Many people find that the right counselor can be a major asset in helping encourage personal growth, interpersonal and family relationships, and the hassles of daily life. Counseling can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem and point you in the direction of an attainable solution.
