Answers to Common Questions
If you do not find the answer to your question below, please use the form at the bottom of the page to submit your question to be answered by a registered counselor.
What is counseling?
Counseling is a professional, therapeutic relationship that allows individuals to explore and resolve personal, emotional, or psychological issues. Therapists provide a safe, confidential space for clients to explore their inner world of thoughts, sensations, feelings, and behaviours. The counseling process allows clients to gain insights, develop coping strategies, and heal.
What is the purpose of Counseling?
The goal of counseling is to support clients in addressing and managing challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, mental health disorders, and life transitions. Counseling can also aid in personal development and improve overall mental health.
How long does Counselling take?
Everyone’s journey looks different; the length of therapy can often depend on what you want to get out of it. Many studies done on therapy often cover a period of 12-16 sessions done on a weekly or biweekly basis. You may want to take into consideration the investment of time and resources. Therapists can work with you to develop a treatment plan that works for you.
How can it help me?
Therapy can help alleviate emotional pain and suffering. It can teach you new skills with which you can successfully deal with your problems. It can save a marriage. It can help increase your self-esteem. It can give you hope that there is a better way, or a way out. It can do all these things and more. The only thing it can't do is change you. You have to do that by yourself. You have to take the skills or new ideas and put them into practice in your life. Without a commitment to take what you learn and put it into practice, counseling will not help.
What can I expect to pay?
See our Counseling Fees page.
I am divorced or separated; can I get counseling for my child(ren)?
You may choose to meet with the counselor for the first session to give the counselor some background information about your child or children. If there is a custody agreement, our office must have a copy of the most recent agreement AND consent for minor forms signed by both parents before the child's counseling sessions can begin. You can download the consent for minor form here.
What are the risks and benefits of counseling?
There are risks and benefits of counseling. Benefits may include relief from distressing symptoms, improved emotional health, new approaches to problem-solving and decision-making, better-coping skills, more satisfying relationships, increased levels of creativity, maturity, and intimacy, as well as improved physical health. However, significant personal change has the potential to be stressful and painful and may include periods of intensified emotions. Other risks may include an increased awareness of feelings, values, and beliefs that could lead to new choices, behaviors, and changes in your relationships.
What does successful counseling feel like?
Successful counseling feels like something has changed, something is different. You feel more hope and self-confidence. You are trying out new behaviors, and they are working. The way successful therapy looks is other people begin to comment that something about you seems different. Maybe they don't know what has changed in you, but you feel better to be around. You will also notice that you are having different results from actions that, in the past, would not have gone so well. In the end, you will always be the one to make the decision about whether therapy has been successful or not.
What do I do if it is not helping?
The first thing you should do is tell your counselor. Explain what is not working and why. Discuss things that have worked in the past. But it is important to reflect on what your therapist says. We need counseling from time to time because we can't see our self-defeating thoughts or behaviors, and it sometimes takes an impartial observer to point out to us what is obvious to others.
How do I know when I am done?
You will feel done. Most of the concerns and anxiety that brought you into therapy will have dissipated. You will have learned coping skills and new behaviors to deal with any issues that may persist. Your therapist should be able to give you feedback about your decision and discuss whether or not they feel you are ready to terminate. Ultimately the decision is in your hands.
