By Eleanor Beeslaar, HRI Graduate Assistant
Professional counseling can be a helpful resource if you are facing challenges in your life, having relationship problems, or if you have concerns about your mental health. However, you do not have to reserve counseling for periods of difficulty; it can also be used as a preventative measure. Many people seek counseling to experience self-growth and gain helpful skills that can serve them during difficult situations later in life. Counselors can provide support and guidance to individuals, couples, and families and work with them to manage their lives and accomplish their goals (ACA, 2016).
Although the negative stigma around receiving help from a mental health professional has greatly decreased over the past few years, it is still common to feel afraid or embarrassed when seeking help from a counselor. We hope that, as more people become educated on the many benefits of professional counseling, negative perceptions will continue to decrease and more people will feel empowered to reach out for help. Making the decision to seek counseling is courageous!
HRI believes that counseling is an important part of having safe and healthy relationships, and we aim to help individuals, couples, and families understand the counseling process. Over the next few days, HRI will provide information about the counseling process to help community members understand what counseling is, why it is helpful, when they should seek counseling, and how to find a counselor.
Resources:
American Counseling Association. (2016, April 6). What is Counseling? An Animated Video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mKHauD0pFk&feature=youtu.be