A therapist is a general term for someone who facilitates talk therapy. This could be a counselor, social worker, or a psychologist. A counselor is someone that has specialized training in mental health and psychotherapy or talk therapy. A licensed professional counselor is licensed by a professional board in their state. I am a licensed professional counselor with a mental health service provider designation. This means I am able to provide counseling services and diagnose mental disorders. A psychologist is a PhD level practitioner who usually has specialized education in psychological assessment, and they may also practice as a therapist. However, they often focus on assessment and testing. A psychiatrist is someone with a medical degree that prescribes medication for mental health issues.

We will start with a phone consultation to make sure you feel confident that I am a good fit and can provide the services you need. The first session will involve an intake process. We will review policies and go over informed consent, so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment. We will also do an intake interview where we will discuss your life, what is bringing you to counseling, and your goals. The following sessions are largely driven by you and your goals. You will decide what we work on and when. It is important to understand that counseling can sometimes be uncomfortable and bring up difficult emotions. This is a normal part of the process. However, life itself can be uncomfortable at times too! The hope is that by confronting our challenges we can begin to create a more fulfilling life.

There are endless possible outcomes to therapy. For that reason, it’s hard to state the benefits of counseling concisely. The results will look different for everyone. Happiness, confidence, security, peace, improved relationships, increased awareness, fulfillment, and joy are all possible outcomes of counseling. It is important to realize that there can be painful results of counseling too as we navigate life’s shadow, and that we cannot guarantee any outcomes as therapists. The objective of counseling is to meet the goals each client sets for themselves. Clients that consistently attend sessions and do the work of therapy will usually see results.

Possibly. Diagnoses can be both helpful and unhelpful in the therapeutic process. I usually find that therapy progresses in a healthy and healing way without putting labels on people. Oftentimes our symptoms are a manifestation of a previous trauma, our life situation, or our histories. However, diagnoses can also be incredibly powerful and validating for people! Sometimes diagnoses are necessary to help people understand their symptomology. Diagnoses are especially helpful for disorders that are long term, chronic, or require medication. I try to use my clinical discretion to determine when diagnoses is best for the client.

This is up to you! Counseling can last from a few weeks to years. This depends largely upon your goals and what you seek to accomplish. Many people attend sessions for a few weeks, develop skills, and graduate counseling. Others decide that counseling is a tool they want to implement throughout their life, because they find it enhances their experience in immeasurable ways.

Ask your therapist whatever you would like! It’s important to determine wither your therapist will be a good fit for you. Therapy can be tough work and is an investment in yourself. Make sure you are working with the right person for you. It may take a few sessions to discover if it is a good fit. If you aren’t confident therapy is working for you, it is okay to express your concerns to the therapist.

It would be wise to ask your therapist if they have attended counseling themselves. Counselors that have not done their own therapeutic work are at a greater risk of projecting their own issues onto their clients. Would you want a therapist that hadn’t sat on the couch? They ought to be willing to do the same work they ask of you!

Ask your therapist about their theoretical orientation. I find that I am fairly eclectic and usually mix a person centered approach with cognitive behavioral therapy, and EMDR (a widely popular trauma technique). However, I am always drawing from other approaches to meet my client’s needs. I also strive to receive regular training in new approaches.