The first thing to keep in mind is: a licensed psychologist can help you improving your well-being, dealing with distress, maladjustment, increasing the ability to function better. Through psychological counseling, you can learn and implement strategies for coping with your emotional challenges, relationship troubles, communication, and self-esteem issues.
Therapy is a powerful tool that can guide you in building the life, the career, and the relationships that you always wanted. In 2020, however, there are still too many misconceptions about counseling itself, starting from the answer to the question “Who needs therapy?”. No, not everybody needs it, but everybody can benefit from it. If in doubt, just give it a try.
When should I see a counselor?
As I just said: everybody can benefit from psychotherapy; however, some people are more in need than others.
There are many reasons why you might need to see a counselor. For example, your feeling stressed or anxious doesn’t seem to stop; it’s impossible to list them all, but here are some “warning signs”:
- You feel emotionally tired, and that’s crushing;
- You feel that something is not completely right, and you can’t get through that;
- You tried anything, but your problems don’t seem to get better;
- It’s really hard to concentrate on any task, especially work-related, or to deal with other regular daily activities;
- Your relationships are unfulfilling;
- You are always waiting for something bad to happen, you can’t relax and think positive.
What should I do to start my counseling path?
The first thing to do is to choose your licensed psychologist. You should make a selection primarily based on the language they speak, their areas of expertise, and the possibility to do offline and/or online therapy. There is no right or wrong choice, it is only based on your needs. Then, get in touch with him or her, make an appointment or ask any information you might want to know. If you don’t like to do a call, you can easily send an email.
It’s normal to feel nervous about it, you will feel better after the first or the second session. If you feel welcomed, it is the right match for building a therapeutic relationship.
If you already have an idea about your challenges and what you would like to accomplish, even if vague, write it down before meeting with your therapist. This will help both you and your psychologist to find the right and most efficient way to proceed.
The session will last 50 minutes, at the end you will schedule the next appointment.
What should I expect from the counseling therapy?
During the first sessions of counseling, your psychologist will ask you many questions. These are aimed to know you and the reasons that brought you there. This part is fundamental to set an efficient plan and achieve your goals.
During therapy, you are invited to share all your thoughts and to speak openly. Try to be totally honest with your therapist; it’s hard, especially if you are not used to, but therapy works well only if you are sincere. Keep in mind that this is a transparent space, you will never be criticized, interrupted, or judged. Everything you say is fine, anything is wrong or bad.
The psychologist takes notes during or after the counseling session, but you don’t have to worry: your conversation will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. Unlike the rest of your life, here you can say exactly what you feel without worrying that you’re going to hurt someone’s feelings or do any kind of bad thing.
You can sometimes feel that therapy is emotionally challenging you, it can be intense, while you will be guided in unraveling the knots.
What does it mean, in the end?
Through psychological counseling, you will gain awareness, find appropriate solutions for your problems, and a personal balance. You will be able to take ownership of your life: you and your beloved will benefit from it, you will be happier.
Your emotional health is the most important thing.
Do you feel stressed, unfulfilled, and overwhelmed? I can help you reach your goals and a long-term emotional balance.
Contact me: [email protected], +31 (0) 685069130.
The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional.