Welcome to our succinct but detailed guide about counseling. Our goal here is to show you what it is, what it’s for, how it works, and whether it’s something you’d benefit from.
What counseling really is
What counseling is for
How it works, and why
Different types of mental health professionals
How to know if counseling is worth trying for you
Counseling started as the sharing of wisdom between someone who was experiencing a challenge and someone who had some insight on it. Throughout history, leaders like kings, queens, and presidents, as well as parents and guardians, have sought counsel - for specific situations as well as for life in general. Advice can come from friends, strangers, books, media, teachers, parents, or spiritual leaders.
But as we’ve learned how the mind works, we’ve organized how we tackle specific challenges like anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and so on. Now there are volumes on each of these areas and how to best progress in them, and professionals become adept at helping people through them.
Professional counselors provide qualified, experienced, and regulated guidance to address common life problems and complex mental health conditions. This personalized approach helps you identify obstacles to achieving your goals for happiness and fulfillment.
Depression
Anxiety
Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress
Marriage and Couples Issues
Low Self Esteem, Confidence
Loss of a Loved One, Grief
Addiction and/or Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Anger Management
To manage learning disorders such as ADHD / VAST (variable attention stimulus trait) better
To manage personality disorders better
Learning to thrive with neurodivergence and manage the challenges better
Every licensed counselor is educated in and should be able to assess and diagnose mental illnesses that have been identified and documented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM). That’s a fancy way of describing what every therapist is technically qualified to do. What’s important to remember is that not all therapists are created equal in all areas of care, and specializations allow counselors to establish their niche, and serve the population and conditions that they are most knowledgeable about, experienced in, and effective at treating.
As the counseling profession has evolved, so too has its scope of practice. Counselors come from diverse backgrounds and are trained in a variety of fields. They often choose to specialize in specific areas, either related to the type of client or the condition being treated.
For instance, a counselor might focus on grief counseling and work with clients of various ages and demographics, while another might specialize exclusively in treating children. Some clinicians may also specialize in specific treatment modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Prolonged Exposure Therapy.
Every licensed counselor is trained to assess and diagnose mental illnesses as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM). However, not all therapists are equally skilled in all areas of care. Specializations allow counselors to establish their niche, serving the populations and conditions they are most knowledgeable about and experienced in treating.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They can prescribe medication and provide psychotherapy. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are nurse practitioners who’ve undergone specialized training in mental health. They can diagnose and treat mental illnesses and, if allowed by state law, prescribe medication.
Also called therapists, counselors are educated, licensed, and credentialed professionals who may specialize in particular demographics or conditions. Counselors use methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and others.
Psychologists hold a doctoral degree in clinical psychology or a related field. They are trained to evaluate a person's mental health, make diagnoses, and provide individual and group therapy. They are often found in education and research roles. Read more about psychologists here.
Social workers are individuals trained to provide assessments, diagnoses, and even therapy for specific cases. They may also offer case management and advocacy services. Social workers are a key element to combating the current mental health epidemic in the United States.
If there is something you don't know, counseling is right for you. Being a human being is complex and depending on your background or circumstances, you may or may not have sources of counsel in your life to help you navigate it.
Counseling isn't a treatment plan solely reserved for those struggling with severe conditions, and while disorders of Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Behavior, Learning, and others are frequently what counselors treat, life itself is complex and full of challenges.
Are you struggling with anything in particular?
Have you been diagnosed with anything?
Have you noticed patterns in your life you want to change?
Do you have questions you don’t know how to answer?
Have you struggled with knowing what to feel, how to respond, and what to do?
Are you frequently in situations you don’t know how to navigate?
Are you struggling in particular relationships?
If you said yes to any of these questions, then contact us to schedule an appointment, or find an alternative qualified counselor who can help. Sometimes it takes weeks to do together what it would take years to do alone.
Counseling and mentorship demand taking responsibility for your life. If you're considering these services, you likely understand that life is challenging, support is beneficial, and knowledge is key to shaping your future.
Facing yourself daily is inevitable. If you’re unhappy with your life, the only solution is action.
Counseling encourages new ways to engage with your life, helping you create the life you desire.
With the right counselor, attitude, and timing, counseling can be transformative and worthwhile.
Thank you for exploring counseling with EXODUS. For questions or to schedule an appointment, contact us below!
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