Counseling - What it is and what you can expect

Counseling seems to be this foreign concept that has been gaining momentum over the last decade or so as more information comes out. Mental health has become less of a taboo topic in recent years (thank goodness!) and more people are opening up about their stories and struggles with mental illness. A common route to dealing with mental illness is counseling - this is where you sit in a room with a licensed counselor and talk about your stuff. Now, this could very well be a frightening experience for some - especially if you don't know what to expect. To ease any fears you may have, I'd like to give you a bulleted sneak peak into what counseling might look like. Ready?

1. You do research and find a counselor you think you would jive with (preferably one who takes your insurance)
2. Contact counselor via phone or email to discuss availability and cost.
3. Your counselor may send you some forms to fill out before your first session so that full 50 minutes is focused on YOU. 
4. Time to meet! The first two sessions are typically spent diving into what you're dealing with and creating a plan of attack (aka a treatment plan) to help you reach your goals for counseling. 
5. The rest of counseling will be spent working on those goals and building confidence in your ability to maintain progress on your own. 

Hopefully this sheds some light and eases any reservations you might have about taking the leap of faith into counseling. You got this!