For many years, myths and stigma about counseling prevented people who needed help from getting it.  Contrary to what many used to believe, there are many benefits to therapy and counseling. Counseling is not necessarily a last resort to help you with emotional struggles such as depression, overwhelm, or grief. The sooner you intervene the better in most circumstances. You don’t have to wait for things to become unmanageable to seek therapy. 

Whether you are in an emotional crisis or just experiencing difficulties in organizing your thoughts, it is worth seeking counseling to alleviate symptoms and feel like the best version of yourself.  Counseling is a collaborative and confidential relationship with a professional who will work with you and develop a realistic treatment plan to overcome challenges, move forward, and achieve your goals.

How Counseling Helps

1. Helps you find the underlying causes of problems—It may be difficult at times to identify the exact causes or triggers for your symptoms. You know something is wrong, but may not be able to figure out the source of your distressing thoughts or feelings. A licensed therapist can help you tease out exactly what is going on for you and where to start addressing it.
2. Addressing negativity—Negativity is a part of every day life, the goals is not to remove it but to get it in check. A counselor can help you address negativity in your thinking and functioning and reframe what is not working for you. A skilled therapist can help you find balance and improve the way you view yourself and the world.
3. Lets you explore available options—Counseling can open your mind and allow you to objectively see and compare possibilities you may not have been aware of. With therapy, you can clarify your concerns and weigh the pros and cons, then choose how to proceed.
4. Boosts self-esteem—Negativity has a way of lowering your self-esteem and confidence. As such, you’re inclined to think that you have more problems, worries, and concerns than others. Getting counseling can help you regain and increase your confidence so you can address and resolve life’s challenges.
5. Equips you with life-changing tools and skills—Beyond alleviating your present symptoms, counseling arms you with tools, strategies, and skills to navigate your way through difficulties in the future. Counseling strengthens your inherent ability to respond to whatever life throws at you and come out feeling more positive.
6. Enriches relationships—Forming strong connections with loved ones, friends, and colleagues can bring a lot of happiness and fulfillment. However, misunderstandings, disappointment, and other negative factors can cause harm to your relationships. When you find the therapist that is right for you, relationship issues can be resolved by exploring and addressing the needs of all concerned.
7. Helps you feel better—Research shows that verbalizing your feelings through counseling produces therapeutic effects in the brain. Getting your worries out in the open, especially with an experienced professional who can understand your feelings and behavior, can help you ease whatever is weighing you down. Just talking to someone who listens can bring confidence, peace of mind, and a new purpose in life – which are all important in feeling better.

In the past, people tended to be more judgmental about individuals seeking counseling. These days, counseling is widely accepted as a proactive tool for developing the skills and coping mechanisms you need to face life’s challenges.  Counseling is sought by people who need external help for a wide range of concerns.  It is a means of treatment for mental and behavioral health conditions, but also an approach to factors that hinder you from achieving life goals, such as getting healthier or making a significant career change.

You don’t have to be experiencing a major trauma or huge life event to enjoy the benefits of counseling.  Carolina Counseling Services — Cameron, NC contracts with skilled, licensed therapists who can help you get to where you want to be. Call today to schedule your first appointment.