Many are hesitant to seek counseling, as people believe that seeking counseling is a sign of weakness. I have heard people say, “I can always talk to a friend; how will talking to a stranger make it better?” “I don’t think talking to a counselor can help.”
Counseling is a professional relationship between a counselor and a client. Counseling is a safe space for people to open up and talk about anything that is bothering or affecting them. Counseling is a non-judgmental, empathetic, listening, and confidential space. Seeking social support from friends and family is beneficial. However, in friendships and families, there can be bias and generalization, and there is a mutual exchange of listening and sharing. A counselor will not be biased or generalize your problem, and the focus is solely on you and your well-being.
Here are some of the reasons why you need counselling?
Personal effectiveness: In the busy world, we spend very little time on self-reflection, and there are situations that make us wonder, Why am I behaving in this way or thinking in this way? To find an answer to these questions and to get the best out of you. You can reach out for counseling services to get a better understanding of yourself. In counseling sessions with clients, many blame themselves for being too timid, hypersensitive, or pushing people away easily. When they are educated about the cause of these behaviors, they gain insight into themselves and take the necessary steps to work on themselves.
Prevention: Worries, fears, stress, sadness, and experiences of negative emotions are part of human life. However, when this prolongs for a longer period and affects your day-to-day life, it can lead to mental illness. Counseling can be a preventive measure taken to address concerns at an early stage.
Relationship Management: We have many relationships in our personal and professional lives. Sometimes, these relationships become the causal factor in mental distress. Counseling can help you manage relationships by psycho-educating you about communication skills, assertive skills, healthy ways of confronting others, anger management, EQ, and overall interpersonal skills.
Stuck in a dilemma: When it comes to a few decision-making situations, such as a career choice, moving to a different place, or quitting a job, we are stuck fighting the dilemmas and eventually go to our friends and families for advice and suggestions. In some situations, it is advised to workout, and in most cases, it isn’t. Some of the suggestions we receive from friends and families could be biased, and sometimes they could even be manipulative. Counseling becomes a safe space to discuss as it is an unbiased and non-judgmental space. The focus will be on you and what is best for you.
Catharsis: Catharsis is a process of releasing negative emotions such as grief and anger, thereby relieving the adverse psychological impact of these emotions. Many people out there want to be heard and struggle to communicate when they are in distress because they feel that nobody understands them. Any issues that have been bothering you for a while can be discussed in counseling. You can come to counseling just to vent about what you think and feel.
Psycho-education: I saw a post on social media of a girl wearing a t-shirt that said “anxiety and depression queen.” We can see that this generation is romanticizing mental health issues, which can reduce the seriousness of mental health issues. We are somewhere stuck between glorifying mental health issues and de-stigmatizing mental health issues. The sad online culture can lead to wrong diagnoses or pathologies. If you are concerned about your mental health, you can talk to a counseling psychologist, who will help you by providing an authentic source of information.
Counseling can be beneficial in a lot of ways. Anyone can choose to go for counseling for any reason, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Seeking counseling is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of you wanting to make yourself better, and it takes a lot of courage and strength to reach out for help.
A step taken to talk is a medicine for creating a change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.
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If you need help, Ananth Jeevan is here.
- Call our helpline (+91-9063-Jeevan) to talk to our counsellors
- Download the AJ App (on Android and AppStore )
- For Counselling appointments, use our WhatsApp number
