Almost every week, we mention how speaking to a therapist or counselor can be of benefit for addressing a variety of needs. However, this is the first time we’ll be addressing the benefits of counseling more closely. Of course it can be used to address specific mental health disorders but it also has more far reaching benefits than just helping people to cope with mental illness.
What is Therapy?
Therapy, or counseling, often refers to talk-therapy or talk-psychotherapy. This is a form of treatment which involves speaking to a trained professional about a problem you’re having. The professional then uses evidence based practices to help you build skills to then address whatever concern brought you to therapy.
One of the main benefits of counseling is that there is no one size fits all approach. There are so many different forms of therapy. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most well-known forms. And many people often think of psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapy when they first imagine therapy (you know, Freud and a couch).
However, there is also ACT, DBT, EMDR, ERT, and many, many more. Many of these forms of therapy were developed to target specific mental disorders or problems that people may be having. Motivational Interviewing (MI), for example, was developed for addressing substance use disorder.
What Does Therapy Help With?
There are many benefits of counseling to consider. Of course, it can help with mental illness, such as depression or anxiety disorders. However, it can also help with things like coping with grief or loss, dealing with stress, handling transitions, and other issues people may be facing.
Therapy can also help with working on self-esteem, problem solving skills, self-confidence, and coping with rough patches in your life. Most people who go to therapy only do so for a short period of time, usually to help resolve a current issue such as the death of a loved one.
People also seek out therapy to help with communication skills, relationship problems, and for help addressing conflicts they may be facing in life.
How Do I Find a Therapist?
Word of mouth is an excellent way of finding a therapist. Ask around and see if you can get recommendations from doctors or people you know who have gone to therapy. Your insurance provider is also a great resource for finding a therapist as that will be the easiest way to insure that the cost of your sessions will be covered.
We have a large list of clinicians here that are also an option for those looking into the benefits of counseling and considering getting counseling themselves.
Resources:
https://www.avila.edu/2022/12/13/5-benefits-of-working-with-a-mental-health-counselor/
https://www.harmonyridgerecovery.com/10-benefits-of-mental-health-counseling
https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-therapy
https://www.mhanational.org/therapy
https://positivepsychology.com/counseling-process
https://online.sbu.edu/news/5-ways-mental-health-counseling-builds-stronger-communities