We tend to know what to expect when going to the doctor. Most of us have been going for years and know the routine well.
Counseling, on the other hand, is a mystery for many. Unlike the doctor’s office, most people’s only experience of counseling is from a TV show.
This lack of experience contributes to many misconceptions that prevent people from taking care of their mental health.
This blog post addresses some common misconceptions people have about counseling.
Common Misconceptions That May Prevent People from Getting the Help & Support That Could be Life Changing
As counselors specializing in teen counseling, therapy for young adults, family therapy, and couples therapy or marriage counseling, we hear from our clients the reasons they put off coming to therapy.
Below are some of the more common reasons our clients have given us.
But I'm Not "Crazy", "Messed Up", or "Sick"
Labels provide the convenience of reducing complex experiences and perceptions to a single word or phrase. For this reason, our culture has developed an addictive relationship with them. For Example:
You can take a free online test to spit out your personality in four letters.
If you don’t like someone you can label them a narcissist.
If a child has a difficult home life, the school system can label them emotionally disturbed.
A college student is now traumatized because they didn't get the grade they wanted.
And because someone may not like to socialize they are now somewhere on the "spectrum".
And if you need a counselor some may label you as deficient, messed up, or broken. Many people wait until things have hit rock bottom before they will seek counseling. This is like a person waiting for cancer to reach stage four before seeking medical help.
The counseling office is a place where labels are shed at the door. In fact, at Katy Teen & Family Counseling and our other counseling practices, our therapists are not allowed to diagnose or label a person.
The counselor's office is a place where people can learn to live outside the boxes they have been in for so long.
Don’t let fear cause you to wait until it is too late to receive help. Counseling for prevention and early intervention can prevent things from escalating into a crisis. Leave the labels behind and seek help.
I Can Start Counseling and be Done in a Few Sessions
Think about a challenge you are currently facing. Likely, this challenge did not manifest overnight. The challenge that you may be experiencing has probably developed over years.
Like most challenges, the goals you set for yourself in counseling take time to resolve just as they take time to develop. Unfortunately, there is no pill you can take or technique you can use to solve all your problems. They take time and motivation to accomplish.
Well, Doesn't That Mean Counseling Will Take Forever?
Some people have the misconception that an emotional challenge is something they will need to deal with for the rest of their lives. While personal growth is a lifelong task, most people don’t require a counselor for the rest of their lives.
People tend to achieve their goals in counseling in about four to six months; it depends on the client’s motivation, how long you have been experiencing the emotional challenge, and the severity of symptoms.
The purpose of counseling is not to create dependence but independence through personal growth. Lifelong counseling is rare. Our goal is to have you not need a counselor in the shortest amount of time possible.
My friends and family can be my counselor
Having close relationships with friends and family is something special! They can be sources of support, empathy, and advice.
However, they cannot replace a counselor. One of the greatest benefits of counseling is the neutrality of the counselor.
Therapists are guided by ethical guidelines preventing them from becoming friends with their clients for this reason. This does not mean that the therapist is not friendly however. The connection between the therapist and the client is often one of the greatest predictors of success in therapy.
When the relationship goes beyond a therapeutic relationship, the client loses the value of having a neutral person to discuss issues with. Neutrality is a critical part of promoting a nonjudgmental environment, changes in perspective, and accountability.
A counselor receives special training that allows them to promote change in others. Friends and family members may be well-meaning, but they lack this critical training and often help maintain the problem.
A counselor’s training helps them master the often misunderstood nuances of helping others.
Counseling involves lying on a couch and speaking about your parents
This is a bit old school! Back in the day in the early history of counseling, counselors would have their clients lie down and “project” their relationships onto the counselor.
However, this is no longer common practice.
The practice of counseling has changed a lot since Sigmund Freud had people lie on a couch!
Contemporary counseling sessions tend to be more conversational and relationship focused. The goal is to create a relationship of non-judgment and trust between the counselor and the client.
There are many different styles that counselors use when seeing clients. Some focus on family history while others focus on education and skill building.
An experienced counselor works collaboratively with their clients to find what they are comfortable with and what will work best for them.
Wrapping it Up!
Don’t let misconceptions impede your personal growth. Take that courageous first step!
Family counseling, couples counseling, teen counseling, and counseling for young adults have the power to change lives. And very often does!
Don’t miss out on reaching your potential!
Katy Teen & Family Counseling: 70+ Combined Years in Specializing in Teen, Young Adult, Family, & Couples Therapy
Katy, TX & Houston
If you haven't been to counseling before, it can be a little intimidating and confusing on what therapy is really like. Often, once client's start therapy, they look forward to coming back each week as they enjoy working with their counselor and the help it provides them in their lives.
If you, your teen, young adult, or relationship or marriage could use the support and guidance of a counselor, we are here to help.
Call us today.
The Katy, TX location, Katy Teen & Family Counseling, is located right off of I-10 and Grand Parkway/Hwy 99 in Katy, TX.
Sugar Land Teen & Family Counseling, located in Sugar Land, TX, is conveniently located off of US 90 and Dairy Ashford Road.
If you are ready to meet with one of our teen therapists or young adult therapists or our neurofeedback therapist, all you need to do is follow these three simple steps:
Contact Katy Teen & Family Counseling
Talk with one of our caring therapists
Begin the healing process today!
Other Therapy and Counseling Services Offered at Sugar Land Teen & Family Counseling
At Katy Teen & Family Counseling, we provide a variety of therapy approaches that are supported by research and shown to be effective. Some of the teen therapy and young adult counseling we offer are:
Board Certified Neurofeedback Therapy
Peak performance (optimal academic brain performance)
Peak performance (optimal athletic brain performance)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy)
Group Therapy for Teens
Body Image
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling
Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling can be very effective. The secret ingredient to success is each person willing to look at themselves and work to do things differently, together.
When a marriage counselor or couples therapist has this to work with, the success rate can be very high.
Sometimes life will throw challenges at us that create situations that put strain on our marriage or relationship. It may be due to:
Choices and actions that have been made by one partner.
Financial downturn in the economy creating financial strain.
Feeling like you're growing apart.
Feeling like you don't have as much in common as you used to.
Whatever the reason may be, marriage counseling and couples therapy can help. Couples therapy and marriage counseling has also been found to work in less time than individual therapy.
If you've worked hard for this relationship and find that there are now barriers in the way of maintaining a healthy relationship, contact us at Katy Teen & Family Counseling.
If you've worked hard for this relationship and find that there are now barriers in the way of maintaining a healthy relationship, contact us at Sugar Land Teen & Family Counseling.
About the Author
Justin Perry, LMFT-A is a talented teen counselor, young adult counselor, family therapist, and couples therapist and marriage counselor.
Having received specialized training in couples therapy, marriage counseling, and family therapy, he can not only help individual teenagers and young adults, but also the family as a whole!
A husband and a father of two he understands the challenges that parents can fact in raising kids and has the skill, training, and experience to help you.
If you are ready to start teen counseling or young adult therapy call, text, or email us today!
Phone Number: 281-519-6364
