Counselors provide a comfortable, nonjudgmental and safe environment for individuals to share personal struggles and receive feedback and tools for how to help overcome challenges. Below is valuable information regarding counseling.
Common misconceptions of counseling:
- Counseling is only for people that are “crazy” or that need to be institutionalized
- That a counselor will tell you what you should or should not do
- A counselor can share what is said
- That seeking counseling is a sign of weakness
- Counseling requires a long-term commitment
Facts about counseling:
- Counseling benefits many types of people; those with chronic problems and those dealing with situational concerns
- Counseling may benifit professionals that have high stress jobs
- Counselors will respect your autonomy and help you make your own decisions
- For the most part, counseling is confidential and information will not be shared unless you give your written consent. Your counselor will go over the limits to confidentially at the onset of counseling, typically during the first session
- It can take a lot of strength and courage to tell someone about personal struggles
- Counseling can help with both short-term and long-term problems, and length of time can be decided on between you and your counselor
Counseling can help with the following:
- Using personal strengths and attributes in a variety of situations
- Identifying problem areas and factors that attribute to difficulties and dissatisfaction
- Learning what thoughts and behaviors attribute to and maintain problems and how to change them
- Improving stress-management skills
- Building self-confidence and self-esteem
- Enhancing the quality of relationships
- Making better decisions
- Leading a more satisfying and fulfilling life
Common concerns individuals seek counseling for help with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Break-up of a romantic relationship
- Family problems
- Relational problems with a partner, roommates, friends or professors
- Problems with drugs and/or alcohol
- Eating disorders
- Stress-management
- Suicidal thinking
- Grief and loss
- Lack of motivation
If you are struggling with the challenges of college life or would like to learn more about yourself, try working with a counselor.