You’re are at a point in your life where you realize you need help. Things are out of control, you’ve lost your happiness and life just doesn’t seem fulfilled anymore. You’ve heard about people going
to counseling and working with a professional on life struggles, issues and stressors. You want help, but not sure about where to start in getting the help you need. My hope is that this blog will provide you guidance, as I will discuss 3 steps you can take to select a counselor that can help you make positive changes and improvements in your life.
Finances
I’m going to be honest, counseling is an investment, and like most investments, that means money is involved. Counseling is special because it means you are investing in your well-being and working toward a more enriched life. When it comes to counseling there a few options in making this investment. You can work with your insurance company, possibly your company’s employee assistance program or paying out of pocket directly to a counseling professional. Paying out of pocket or commonly called “self-pay,” has many benefits. Some of those benefits can include; you are in full control of your counseling, as in, no limits on how many sessions you have with the counselor, you get to be selective on the counselor you choose and the counselor does not have to share information with an insurance company about your treatment. Deciding how you would like to make your mental health investment is a personal decision you must make that is best for you.
Specialties
Now you have figured out how you would like to make your mental health investment. Next, you want to find a counselor that has the knowledge, skills, and experience working with clients that have struggled with issues you are having. This can be seen as a counselor having a specialty or a niche of who they work with in counseling. A great way to figure this out is looking at a counselor’s website to see credentials, education, and descriptions of the work they do. You may be a woman struggling with relationship issues and have feelings of depression. Therefore, you will look for descriptions from a counselor that talks about their work with women who struggle with depression and relationship issues.
Connection
Working with a counselor is very personal, therefore, you should feel a connection to this professional. I know, that sounds weird, having a personal connection with a complete stranger. This is what makes counseling special, having a personal connection with a professional with specific boundaries to keep the relationship beneficial to your care. Sometimes it can take a few sessions before you truly feel comfortable, that’s ok, it is normal for that to be the case. Also, its ok if after a few sessions you still don’t feel a good connection and need to tell the counselor. We are professionals that understand that it doesn’t always work, and the connection just isn’t there. We will provide you with at least 3 referral suggestions of counselors that you may want to try. You may find that instant connection with the first counselor you meet, or it may take a few meetings before you feel you are with the right one.
I hope these 3 steps will help you in selecting a counselor that can help you work through emotions and gain more fulfillment in life. If you are reading this post, you’re already on a counseling website, I hope you take a look at the team of counselors here at Amy Wine Counseling that specialize in a variety of areas. We would love to provide you a safe space to receive the help you need, feel free to give us a call at 832-421-8714 or contact us here to schedule an appointment.
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