This week, October 2nd-8th, is mental health awareness week. What exactly does that mean? It means to step back and look at your mental health and determine whether or not you or your children need to address any issues. We all visit the dentist for annual cleanings, our primary care physician for annual exams, why not assess our mental health?
While there is no official definition of mental health, this thought, is refers our thoughts, feelings and actions – how one faces challenges and stressors. Our mental health can be healthy, or we can struggle with a mental illness. Mental illness is characterized by significant or prolonged alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior. Seeing a therapist or counselor can help individuals cope with the specifics of their mental illness.
Why do people seek out counseling?
Clients seek out counseling for a wide variety of reasons. Below are reasons that our office sees on a regular basis. By no means does this list state all the reasons our clients come to counseling, but hopefully it gives you an idea of some areas that counseling can help and that sometimes clients come to counselors for 4-6 sessions, others come to counselors for much longer…dependant on what they are struggling with.
* Complatent in life, wanting something more. Wanting a change, not sure what it could be
* Substance Abuse / Alcohol dependancy
* Eating struggles – Eating disorders, Overweight
* Academic struggles/issues * Pre-Marital counseling
* Required to come, whether by employer or courts
* Going through a divorce (Adults) parents experiencing a divorce (children)
* Money Management / Difficulties with financial situation.
* Employment issues (new job, lost job, stressors on job)
* Loss of someone signifcant in their life
* Organizational skills
* Anger management
* Specific relationship issues (Couples, mother/daughter, brother/sister)
* Experienced a traumatic event (Military, witnessed a crime, experienced natural disaster)
* Child abuse (Physical or Sexual)
* Specific Diagnosis – Anxiety and/or Depression
* Social skills * Domestic Violence
* Specific Diagnosis – Terminal Illness
* Specific Diangosis One not mentioned above
What does a counselor do?
Counselors act as a confidential sounding board, providing a safe relationship. Counselors and therapists listen to clients’ concerns and help find solutions.
Have some more questions? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions here!
Another helpful resource is: Counseling Myths Here!
Our office believes that counseling is not “curing someone” but more of helping someone exploring
Therapy isn’t curing somebody of something; it is a means of helping a person explore himself, his life, his consciousness.
Have a great week!
Best Wishes,
-Jennie
