What is Counseling?
The decision to begin counseling is an important one. Clients have reported both a greater level of comfort and more favorable results when they understand what to expect from the counseling process. Counseling may help you with a variety of concerns including personal issues (e.g., anxiety, depression, or relationship problems), career exploration and planning (e.g., clarification of your career interests and employment options), and academic problems (e.g., test-taking, study skills, and time management). After discussing the concerns that led you to counseling, you and your counselor will decide which services are appropriate. Referrals to workshops, group counseling, or psychiatric consultation may also be made, as appropriate. In order to benefit fully from counseling, the following recommendations are offered: • Attend scheduled sessions. • Be specific about concerns that led to your decision to seek counseling. • Establish with your counselor desired goals and outcomes to be ach
The simple definition: “Counseling is a way to get confidential help for problems or concerns from a trained professional.” A more formal definition: “Counseling is a cooperative process in which a trained professional helps the student identify the sources of difficulties or concerns that he or she is experiencing. Together they develop ways to deal with and overcome these problems so the person has new skills and increased understanding of themselves and others. The effectiveness of counseling is measured by student’s increased ability to function successfully at Linfield College and in other important areas of their lives. Examples of the kinds of concerns for which students might seek counseling include: Difficulties with friends or family members Missing friends at home How to do better in courses Feelings of sadness, depression, moodiness or irritability Concerns about alcohol or drug use Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much Questions about body image and diet Issues with fo
(from The University of Buffalo Counseling Center) Counseling is a collaborative process which involves the development of a unique, confidential helping relationship. In this relationship, the counselor acts as a facilitator in helping the client to understand more accurately him/herself and the world around him/her. Individuals are helped to understand their feelings and behaviors, their relationships with others, their particular situation, choices, and decisions. Discussion of whatever is important and relevant enables individuals to grow towards greater freedom in making mature choices and taking responsible action with themselves, relationships, family, and studies.
Counseling is a caring and collaborative process between you and your counselor. This journey begins with identifying your goals, what you want to have happen, and how you will know when you make progress. Counseling then helps you objectively look at your feelings, thoughts, behaviors and what God intended so you can develop more effective ways of dealing with life struggles, traumas, and emotional pain. Change can happen! Nine out of ten Americans surveyed by Consumer Reports said that counseling had helped them. In other studies, 50 percent of the clients were making improvements after only eight sessions of therapy, 75 percent after six months of therapy. Even when we make healthy changes there are some challenges. When an individual changes, their interactions with others also change. Often relationships become healthier and stronger. Sometimes, other people do not understand the changes or know how to respond. Many find help and new hope early in treatment. Sometimes, however, tr
