4 Things to Expect During Counseling

“Wa nasolbad akong problema.”

You might feel disappointed after your first counseling session because it didn’t match your expectations. While expecting counselors to do the work for you is normal, holding on to that expectation may hamper your growth. To avoid this, it’s important to understand both the counselor’s and your role in your progress. Here’s what to expect during counseling sessions.

1. Counseling is a collaborative effort.

It’s not your counselor’s job to solve your problems. Counseling is a joint effort of you and the counselor. While you acknowledge your feelings and admit your struggles, their job is to:

• help you identify beliefs, behavior patterns, and thoughts involved in your mental health concerns
• assist you in understanding yourself
• determine the steps needed to improve your perspective and lifestyle
• create individualized treatment plans based on your circumstances and needs

2. You may be asked to revisit situations that can trigger you.

The therapist or counselor will ask you to revisit situations that may be relevant to your mental health concern— and this may be triggering for you. You may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or angry— and it’s okay. It’s important to acknowledge these feelings, sit with them, and openly talk about them during counseling to help the counselor better understand your circumstance.

3. You will learn things throughout the process, which can be uncomfortable for you.

Seeking professional help means busting faulty beliefs and shifting perspectives that are causing you problems. It’s normal to expect validation from a counselor but to grow, you have to learn and unlearn things. This process may be unsettling and frightening, but it’s best to focus on the fulfilment of self-improvement and look forward to the results. Remember that the first step to solving the problem is acknowledging that there’s a problem.

4. There are different counselors.

Qualified mental health professionals can handle counseling sessions and other mental health services. Likewise, not all counselors are psychologists. They can be a:

• licensed clinical social worker
• guidance counselor
• marriage and family therapist
• psychologist
• a licensed clinical professional counselor
• psychiatric nurse practitioner
• psychoanalyst
• mental health counselor
• psychiatrist

If they are trained, licensed, and experienced, they are qualified to handle mental health consultations and counseling sessions.

If you have difficulty coping with your mental health problems, it is a good idea to seek a mental health professional. Our psychologists and psychiatrists here at Gestalt Wellness Institute psychological clinic are available from 9 am-11 pm, Mondays to Saturdays. We provide specialized and quality multidisciplinary mental health services as a collaborative, efficient, and sustainable mental health institution committed to self-discovery and expansion.