5 Lies About Counseling
By: Veronica Dunkin
Tags: Help, Freedom, Life, Mental Health, Counseling

And Why You Should Toss Them

You’ve had bad days, right? Yeah — that’s what I thought. Me, too.

I mean — who hasn’t? No matter what stage of life you’re in, things get stressful.

Job

No job

Married

Single

Kids

You get the picture. No one has the corner market on dealing with the tough stuff.

Even though we all deal with the same things — we handle them differently.

There will be things you handle in healthy ways. You know, like a mature adult. You face the problem, handle it, and move on.

But, there will also be things you don’t handle so well. And the ones you can’t seem to manage — you find yourself reverting to old patterns you thought you grew out of long ago.

And the latter is where some counseling could do you a world of good. I know — you’ve got some concerns. You may even think that if you just pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you can nip this thing in the bud. No. Help. Needed.

By all means, do what you got to do. But while you’re busting butt to turn things around, consider these 5 lies about counseling, and why you need to toss them.

Because when the time comes, I want you to be ready.

1. Seeking counseling is a sign of weakness.

I don’t care what you’ve heard or thought — asking for help is a sign of strength.

Anyone who’s ever gone to counseling will tell you it’s not easy. No one is doing the work for you. You’re there to get guidance on what needs to be done to meet your goals, even if you’re not yet sure what those goals are.

With Positive Psychology you focus primarily on your strengths not your weaknesses. So you’re not just sitting around talking about all the negative stuff. You’re learning how to use your strengths to overcome whatever you’ve got going on.

And even if you do have a few weaknesses- think of it like this: If you mentioned that you wanted to get a personal trainer, no one would belittle you. And the same principle should apply to getting counseling.

Either way — you’re actively taking a step- whether to improve yourself- or simply realize you’ve already got everything you need.

If you come across someone who has this negative view on counseling, brush it off.

This is for YOU.

And when you come out stronger and better than ever, they’re going to sit up and notice.

2. People who go to counseling are crazy.

Let’s face it. There are all kinds of crazy. If the above were true, there’d be mandatory counseling required for Every. Single. Person.

I’ve yet to meet a person who couldn’t benefit from counseling.

Just because life is crazy, doesn’t mean you’re crazy.

Repeat that.

Write it down.

You may be surprised to learn that most people who go to counseling don’t even have a mental illness. For them, it’s more about finding happiness and contentment in life.

And, on the plus side, who cares if people think you’re crazy? It may even slow down the drama.

That sister that’s constantly getting under your skin; maybe she’ll think twice about those snotty remarks at Christmas this year.

Because who knows what you may do? You go to counseling.

3. You don’t want to talk about personal things to a stranger.

Counselors have spent a lot of time and money training in their field. And they’re aware of the difficulties you face in counseling — like bearing your soul to a stranger.

That’s why you’ll have several sessions of just getting to know each other. Once you’re comfortable- then you can get down to business.

Counselors chose their profession because they’re passionate about helping others. And let me assure you they’ve heard and seen it all.

And here’s a little known secret, in studying the many topics and issues people struggle with, counselors become more self-aware of their own struggles.

This leads to some pretty empathetic people who won’t hold any judgments or preconceived notions about you. Counselors are going to be some of the most open-minded people you’ll ever talk to.

And their number one goal is to help you do you. There are no ulterior motives and no hidden agendas. They really are on TEAM YOU!

4. This is just life.

Maybe. But do you really want to live a just life? That sounds pretty depressing to me.

Yes, there are some things that are inevitable, but there are quite a few things that you do have the power to change.

Instead of thinking “this is just life”- try thinking this is YOUR life. That’s why it’s so important to find the courage to live the life you want NOW.

No one else will make this decision for you. Just in case you didn’t know, we humans can be pretty selfish. So if you’re content to live a barely-getting-by kind of life, people are going to let you. Because they’re trying to figure out their own stuff!

I’m not suggesting being self-centered. I’m just saying that if you don’t choose you every once in awhile- no one else will either.

Try betting on yourself for a change. You’ll be surprised to find that there’s more to life than just… whatever it is you’re facing.

5. It’s too expensive.

I won’t even try to deny that counseling can be super expensive. But that doesn’t mean it’s unattainable.

People are finally starting to recognize the importance of mental health.

This means most insurance companies will cover the cost, just like going to your primary physician. Check with your provider. They can give you the breakdown of what they cover and even provide a list of in-network counseling services.

No insurance? No problem. With a little research, you’ll find that there are free and discounted services available. Check with your local mental health centers and churches to see what they offer.

Another important thing to note: have a conversation with any counselor you’re considering seeing. In some cases, they’re willing to cut their fees in order to make it more affordable for you.

So just know, you can find someone you are comfortable seeing and not break the bank.

So there you are. No more excuses.

You now have all the information to get you started in the right direction.

It’s time to invest in yourself so invest wisely. Just go online and see what’s available in your area. Let a trained counselor help you through these not so easy steps. You’ll definitely be glad you did!