Most people are aware that mental health counseling can be helpful. Whether you are seeking relief from depression or progress in processing trauma —- the support of a counselor or therapist can lead to critical breakthroughs you might otherwise not achieve.
What many people don't realize, however, is that virtually anyone can benefit from mental health counseling. What therapy can do for us goes far beyond simply alleviating sadness or overcoming a particular traumatic event.
The right mental health counseling can transform your life and help you become the best version of yourself.
Who Is Counseling For? Can I Benefit From Therapy?
Many people think that counseling is only for people with a diagnosed mental health disorder — this simply isn't the case. If it were, no one would ever see a professional and get diagnosed in the first place! Even if you've been to therapy before, you may not have a complete understanding of how mental health counseling can benefit you most.
Another common misconception is that therapy is just a place to vent or complain about your problems. Of course, you should share anything troubling you with your therapist, but the best mental health treatment programs are also goal-oriented. They help people make progress and hit milestones that might otherwise be out of reach. Whether you're after relationship goals, career goals, or personal growth —- goal-focused therapy can help you get there.
Who can benefit from mental health therapy?
- People who are living with the effects of trauma
- People who feel anxiety and worry are holding them back
- People who are unhappy and not sure why
- People who feel “stuck” in their lives.
- Anyone who wants to grow as a person.
Why Mental Health Counseling Works
Counseling and mental health therapy work for many reasons. First, counseling helps people break out of unhelpful thinking or behavior patterns. Often, people aren't even aware of how their own thinking or way of seeing things is working against them.
Therapy helps people see themselves and their challenges more objectively, making it far easier to make positive changes. As the fog clears, things begin to make more sense. A person in therapy begins to see that they aren't merely the victim of bad luck.
Working with a skilled therapist can also help you learn tools for managing your emotions and defusing your triggers.
Mental health therapy can help you change thought patterns and behaviors that conflict with your goals. It can also help you understand other people and their motivations and fears. That understanding can help you develop empathy and learn to set appropriate boundaries to protect yourself.
Mental health counseling works by:
- Allowing us to see the thoughts and behaviors that hurt us and change them.
- Giving us powerful tools and mechanisms to manage symptoms and triggers.
- Helping us to understand others better and learn how to set boundaries.
How Mental Health Counseling Can Change Your Life
Change my life? That sounds like a tall order, you may be thinking. The reality is that locked deep down inside, each of us has a concept of our ‘ideal self.' We're all starting from different places.
One person may be dealing with major depression, PTSD, and alcoholism. Another person may be successful in their career and other areas —- but still feel deeply dissatisfied without being sure why.
Both can change their lives with the right mental health therapy, though. The human mind has a tremendous ability to adapt to change. Ordinarily, those changes happen without us even realizing it. The brain responds and changes according to our experiences. It does its best to overcome; when it cannot overcome, it “copes.”
The Effects of Counseling for Someone with a Mental Health Disorder
Sometimes, the way our brains cope with something especially intense, like trauma or abuse, isn't ideal, however. People develop trauma disorders like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), for example. A trauma disorder can alter a person's life to a surprising degree. But, mental health counseling can help that person process their trauma.
Counseling and Therapy for Greater Satisfaction and Success
Even without a diagnosed disorder like depression or anxiety, life may seem generally OK or even enviable to others. Yet, you might feel empty inside, incomplete, and unsure why. Life isn't bringing the satisfaction you expected.
You may feel "OK" mood-wise but stuck in your personal development. Would it surprise you to know that mental health therapy could change your life in all these scenarios, too?
The Truth About Mental Health Treatment
- Depression, anxiety, or any other psychological challenge is nothing to be ashamed of. Mental health treatment can make it possible to live a better life and manage your symptoms.
- Therapy is not only for people with severe psychological challenges. Counseling is for anyone who wants to improve their mental health and get more satisfaction out of life.
- Mental health therapy is one of the most powerful tools available for personal transformation. Therapy can help you unlock your full potential.
Goal-Oriented Therapy: Don't Just Survive — Thrive!
Goal-oriented therapy is counseling that establishes milestones and targets. This form of therapy focuses on helping you progress in your mental health, no matter where you're starting from.
Goal-oriented therapy can help you become happier, more satisfied with your life, and more productive. Whether you have a diagnosis like depression or not, mental health counseling can help you get from where you are to where you want to be.
Mental health care is about more than where you are now. It's about where you want to be.
How to Make the Most of Mental Health Counseling
Do you want to change your life? Does it feel like depression is holding you back? Is anxiety preventing you from opening your heart to others? Are you interested in becoming the person you were meant to be? Whatever the reason may be for you seeing mental health therapy, the secret to getting the most from counseling can be summed up in two words:
- Willingness
- Consistency
First, you must be willing to change. You don't need to have all the answers (that's what counseling is for!), but you need to be willing to try to change. Second, and this is a big one —- you need to be consistent. What do we mean by that?
Well, change takes time. If you expect to see substantive change, you will need to commit to a mental health program for yourself. You may even want to attend a partial hospitalization program (PHP), where you get five full days of treatment for a while. A mental health PHP is a great way to jump-start your progress.
Change Your Life
Remember that no one else can do the work for you. If you really want to overcome depression, anxiety or anything else —- it starts with action. Everyone deserves to be happy and to become the person they want to be. But very few of us can do it alone.
Sometimes, it's just about taking action and ignoring the fear. Don't be afraid to ask for help and to try mental health counseling. You have nothing to lose but your unhappiness!
