How Do I Know When It Is Time to Seek Counseling?
Many people benefit every day from seeking the unbiased help of a professional counselor. Yet for every person who seeks out help, there are many others who, for one reason or another, do not choose to do so. For some it is because of the unfair stigma associated with "needing help" instead of just handling it by ourselves. For others it is an incorrect idea of what counseling is like. Sometimes the media misrepresents professional counseling in movies or television shows. Other times there are rumors or myths about counseling that prevail in keeping people from seeking help.
Regardless of the reasons why people stay away, there is so much good that can be obtained from seeking professional counseling help. Granted, I realize I am just slightly biased, given that I am a counselor myself, but I have seen the benefits that come to people when they come for help. Having a "safe" place to go where one can talk through concerns and gain tools or techniques is a priceless opportunity in today's busy and overwhelming world.
So, how would you know when it is time to find a counselor to help you or a loved one with a problem? Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if you might benefit from counseling:
- Are you regularly dealing with depression, anxiety, or some other kind of emotional problem that just will not remit and which is interfering with your personal or professional life?
- Do you struggle to communicate or get along in your marriage or in other relationships?
- Are you grappling with a chemical or pornography addiction, or does someone you love struggle with this and you need help coping?
- Do you feel you need to learn better skills for parenting (for young children, teenagers, or even adult children)?
- Do you need to learn how to be more assertive and set boundaries with people?
- Have you experienced trauma or abuse in your past and are still struggling with its effects, even years later?
- Do you have interpersonal challenges with coworkers or others in your life and don't know how to correct them?
- Have you lost someone you love or gone through a divorce and need help grieving?
- Are you dating someone and want to be sure you and your significant other are equipped and prepared to get married?
- Do you just feel stuck in life and need to gain some motivation and direction?
If you have answered affirmatively to any of the above questions, then counseling would be both appropriate and quite beneficial. In counseling we don't just talk with each other. You come as the expert in your life (after all, you're the one living it) and the counselor provides an objective "mirror" in which you can look at yourself and see where you can improve. In addition, counselors provide tools, techniques, principles, and skills that you have potentially never had before to help you improve your ability to handle multiple problems in life.
Consider seeking out the help of a counselor if you are dealing with any of the problems listed above. You'll be glad you did. Call us today at Steven Eastmond and Associates and we will either see you ourselves or assist you in finding a suitable counselor for you or your loved one.
