Mental Health Counseling How Does It Work?

The increased awareness about mental health should go down as one of the most revolutionary social positives of the 20^th century. The 21^st century saw the chance to create further awareness and ran with the idea. Without mental health as a household topic, we wouldn’t have broken some of the common taboos that gripped society for decades.

Moreover, thousands more would have succumbed to depression and fallen victim to suicide. Counseling therapy is one of the major outcomes of the mental health movement. The general public has realized how important therapy is, and more people are opting for one-on-one sessions. Counselors are now some of the most sought-after professionals in society and continue to change lives through talk therapy. 

Counseling is still fairly new to the world, and many people don’t know what it’s all about. Therefore, through this article, we aim to give you a better understanding of what this form of therapy entails. By the end of this short read, you should have a better idea of what counseling is, some of its major principles, and the difference between clinical psychology. 

1. What Is The Difference Between Counseling And Clinical Psychology?

The ideas of clinical and counseling psychology have traditionally had fairly blurry boundaries. Many people don’t know the difference between the two because they are rather similar. When it comes to clinical mental health counseling VS clinical psychology, remember one thing. Clinical psychology is generally for people suffering from psychopathologies (diagnosed psychological disorders), and counseling is traditionally for people with mood-related issues. One can argue that counselors deal with milder cases than clinicians. Though they both have their areas of expertise, if you are having problems at work, lack assertiveness, or feel stressed, it would be best to visit a counselor. If you have serious trauma and demonstrate severe maladaptation/impairment, visit a clinical psychologist. 

Between counseling, clinical psychology, and psychiatry, millions of people around the world have better mental health than before. It is our duty as the general public to understand the difference between each of them and acknowledge their efforts. 

2. What To Expect From Your First Ten Counseling Sessions

If you go in expecting all the answers and a life-changing experience, you may not receive what you are looking for. Your therapist probably won’t start actively working on you till the 6^th to 8^th session. Between that time, they are filling out documentation, gathering history, and building rapport. If they don’t set a solid foundation of trust and understanding, there’s no point in continuing. They may refer you to another counselor.

After this, they may start working on your case and providing helpful advice. However, don’t always expect it. Many therapists would hold off on giving their suggestions and encourage the clients to come to their own realizations. One of the basic principles of counseling therapy is positive regard. This is where the therapists believe that the client can overcome their issues if they put their minds to it. 

3. Who Should Visit A Counselor

As we mentioned earlier, counselors generally don’t deal with psychopathological issues. If the case is diagnosed through the DSM-V or ICD-10 with moderate to severe impairments, counselors generally back off. In no way does this suggest that they are less than clinical psychologists. Sometimes a single person could act as a counselor or clinician depending on the case.

Counselors generally treat mood, stress, and situational issues. Most counselors have a psychology degree like an online Christian psychology degree. If not addressed in the early stages, these cases could aggravate and become pathological. So before we question a counselor’s validity, remember that they help prevent the mental issues from getting worse. It varies from case to case. If a person comes in with severe issues, it might be better to run clinical psychological therapy on them. 

4. The Most Common Areas Counselors Deal With 

Here are some areas where most people seek out the help of a mental health counselor:

• Grief – After a loved one’s loss, many people suffer a spell of bad mental health. They could range from profound sadness to hallucinations of the deceased. Complicated grief, if not addressed by a professional, can take years to overcome. Counselors encourage exercises to help clients deal with their issues and accept the loss in the healthiest way possible. 
• Substance Abuse – After cutting the habit, the withdrawal phase is usually one of the hardest points of the journey. Preventing relapse at the point Is key. The counselor may teach the client several behavioral modifications and coping strategies to deal with temptation and avoid triggers. Many counselors also bring addicts to realize that it’s time to quit. Therefore, they help before and after withdrawal
• Professional Development – Most people aren’t aware of the role that counselors can have in your career. They can instill leadership and assertive qualities that could go a long way in setting the pace for your career. Moreover, counselors can also guide you on what professions may suit you best. Through aptitude tests, you may narrow down the best possible jobs for yourself.  

Mental health practitioners have some of the hardest jobs you can imagine. You may not realize how emotionally draining it is to talk to mentally ill patients every day. It’s bound to rub off on you at some point, hence why many practitioners limit their number of clients and have therapists of their own. These professionals are human beings as well and feel the same emotions we do.

Appreciate the mental health practitioners around you today. They help to change society and make it better by dealing with one person at a time. Moreover, the discipline of psychology also deserves respect. Without it, we might still have archaic ideals that limit societal development.