Why do People Seek a Counselor or a Therapist?

People are starting to expand their definitions of wellness and well-being. Physical health is not the only aspect of our health we are considering anymore. An increasing number of people are starting to get in tune with their mental health and here is where we, mental health clinicians, get involved.

Psychology as a scientific discipline emerged in 1879 and has since come a long way in helping us explain and understand the nature and nurture of human growth and development. As a result of research, we now have a lot of evidence-based data supporting particular schools of thought as well as various branches of applied psychology.

Hence, due to research we now know that people seek counselors or therapists for several reasons:

1. Emotional Support

   1. Counselors and therapists can offer a safe space, free of judgment, for individuals to express and process their feelings and emotions.

   2. Individuals can choose what they wish to share and explore.

2. Mental Health Disorders

   1. When one’s level of life functioning starts to deteriorate, that may be a sign to seek psychological help and support.  

3. Relationship Issues

   1. Counselors and therapists can help individuals discuss relationship challenges and explore coping skills and strategies.

4. Stress and Anxiety

   1. Counselors and therapists can help individuals explore the impact of stress and anxiety on mental well-being.

   2. Many evidence-based therapies have been proven successful in treatment.

5. Self-exploration and Personal growth

   1. Counselors and therapists can help individuals engage in self-discovery and personal development.

   2. Individuals can use a therapeutic space to pursue life skills development and learn coping mechanisms for dealing with life stressors.

6. Trauma and Grief

   1. Counselors and therapists can help individuals process loss and guide them through a grieving process.

   2. Counselors and therapists can also help individuals heal from their traumatic experiences.

7. Life Transitions

   1. Counselors and therapists can help explore major life transitions like high school to college, college to the workforce, ending an athletic career, making it to the professional sports sport, entering parenthood, retirement, changing careers, etc.

   2. The therapeutic process can help people process gain and loss, impact on self-esteem and confidence, mentally prepare for new challenges, identity development, and much more.

One can seek a counselor or a therapist when experiencing one, two, three or any and all of the above reasons. Regardless of what the reason is, you should know that YOUR reason is valid and you deserve help and support!

Thought processes can always be improved, emotional regulation can be learned, awareness increases as we become better at being mindful, and we can develop interpersonal skills to improve our relationships in various spaces.

Contact us for a free consultation.