Working with a counselor can feel like a big step. I like to think about it as an investment. You taking time out of your day to invest in your life, goals, and overall wellness. Achieving and maintaining a healthy state of mental health directly impacts how you show up in life.
Getting the most from your counseling session impacts yoru personal growth and ability to reach your treatment goals. Here are 6 tips to help you get the most out of your time with your counselor:
- Be Open and Honest: Remember that it’s important to fully share with your counselor what you are experiencing and how you think or feel about certain situations that have taken place. The effectiveness of counseling depends on your willingness to share your true feelings and thoughts. I encourage you to not hold back or worry about being judged. My job as your counselor is to help you.
- Set Clear Goals: Getting the most from your counseling session involves taking time to set clear goals. As your counselor, we will work directly on this. This process involves learning what brought you to counseling and creating a treatment plan that outlines the goals you would like to achieve in counseling.
- Do Your Homework: In my counseling sessions, I sometimes give clients homework. The goal of the homework is to support the process of achieving goals, recovery, and moving forward. The homework in counseling can often reinforce what you’ve discussed during your sessions. I encourage you to complete the counseling homework as that will help you apply new skills and insights in your daily life, accelerating your progress.
- Communicate About the Process: When I work with clients, I take time to listen to their experiences in the session. I find that this helps us make positive progress. I encourage you to talk about how counseling is going. You can share if something isn’t working for you or what is working for you. Counseling is a collaborative process, and your feedback is important.
- Be Present: Try to clear your mind and focus on your counseling session. I encourage you to show up in the counseling session. Allow yourself to be present and prepared. Items such as arriving to the counseling office early can give you a moment to relax and mentally prepare for the upcoming counseling session.
- Embrace Your Emotions: Being in a counseling session can bring up a wide range of emotions. Try to give yourself permission to feel and express these emotions during your counseling sessions. This emotional release is a key part of healing and understanding yourself better. This is a done is a safe and constructive space.
I encourage you to reach to me to get started with counseling.
You can call or text 336-663-6570 to get started with counseling.