How to Know If You Need Counseling?

Counseling sometimes has a stigma behind it and some people get uncomfortable with the mention of the very word.

Knowing when you need to actually go and talk to someone else about what your going through in your life or relationships is very important. If you say "I don't need counseling," I am sorry to break the news but you most likely do in fact need counseling. Most of the time the one's who are most resistant to facing a third party are people who genuinely should go but fear, anxiety, denial, selfishness, or pride keep that from happening. One must at least see a need to see a counselor or be willing to go even if it is for a couple sessions.

If you have been having more than just a few hard days emotionally. There are times when we all face some very upsetting and deeply sad days. If these moments are lasting more than they normally should and it is starting to affect your lifestyle you need to go and talk with someone about how you feel. What do i mean about it affecting your lifestyle? If the feelings of sadness or depression keep you from spending time with people, work, or staying physically active on a daily basis.

You should definitely go and talk to a counselor if you have been through a tragedy or have had a deep loss. Going to see a counselor never means there is something wrong with you. People need to keep this in mind when considering counseling. There are times when you need to talk to someone who has a neutral viewpoint and who is not closely related to the situation. This type of professional relationship will be healthy and beneficial for your growth and healing.

Read more: How to Know If You Need Counseling | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5395985_need-counseling.html#ixzz0v4Lljryp

Step 2

If you have been having more than just a few hard days emotionally. There are times when we all face some very upsetting and deeply sad days. If these moments are lasting more than they normally should and it is starting to affect your lifestyle you need to go and talk with someone about how you feel. What do i mean about it affecting your lifestyle? If the feelings of sadness or depression keep you from spending time with people, work, or staying physically active on a daily basis.

Step 3

You should definitely go and talk to a counselor if you have been through a tragedy or have had a deep loss. Going to see a counselor never means there is something wrong with you. People need to keep this in mind when considering counseling. There are times when you need to talk to someone who has a neutral viewpoint and who is not closely related to the situation. This type of professional relationship will be healthy and beneficial for your growth and healing.

Read more: How to Know If You Need Counseling | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5395985_need-counseling.html#ixzz0v4LJu74V

Personality Profile of Ita Azly (Personality Type)

Personality Profile of Ita Azly (Personality Type)

Think About These Little Jewels Of Wisdom

I'd rather see a sermon
Than hear one any day.
I'd rather once you walk with me
Than merely show the way.

The eye's a better pupil
And more willing than the ear.
Fine counsel is confusing
But the example's always clear.

I soon can learn to do it
If you let me see it done.
I can see your hands in action
But your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver
May be very fine and true.
But I'd rather get my lesson
By observing what you do.

For a person must understand you
And the high advice you give.
But there's no misunderstanding
How you act and how your live.

-Edgar Guest

Counseling Awareness

All of us face times in our lives when we may need help addressing issues that cause us emotional pain or overwhelm us. Talking with a trained professional counselor can be beneficial.

Not sure if counseling is right for you or your family? You may want to seek assistance from a counselor if you:

• Feel you can no longer manage a problem on your own.
• Believe that your life is being harmed by a problem you cannot seem to solve.
• See problems as getting worse, not better.
• Have lost interest in life or think it's not worth living.
• Have emotions that cause lasting pain and distress, such as sadness or anxiety.
• Are having trouble getting along with other people.
• Find that your family members don't seem able to cooperate with one another.¹

You don’t have to be “sick” to benefit from counseling. Counseling is much more than a treatment for mental illness. It can help you in dealing with difficult issues from your past. It can be a relief to know that what you’re going through is normal.

A trained professional counselor will listen to your problem, ask questions, and aid you in clarifying what the problem is and how you want to deal with it. The counselor may help you think about different ways of looking at the issue or teach you skills for tackling difficult situations

Through therapy you can increase your self-esteem, develop healthier family relationships, or deal with past memories that may be affecting your present life. With your own hard work in therapy, you can acquire the tools to change many things in your life. You can take the skills you learn in counseling and apply them throughout the rest of your life.

In a successful counseling process, you can begin to feel that something has changed. You may try out new behaviors or tactics and get good results. People may begin to notice that something about you is different.

What can you do if you realize that you or someone you know needs a counselor? The best way to find a good one is from a referral—through your doctor, friend, or insurance provider. If you believe your child will benefit from talking with a counselor, you can contact his school’s counseling office.

Finding the right “fit” in counseling is important. If, after a period of time working with one counselor, you are not getting the necessary assistance or you just don’t click with that provider, let the person know. You might need to look for a different counselor. It may take several tries until you find the right counselor for you. Don’t give up until you’ve found someone with whom you feel comfortable. It can make a huge difference in your life and that of your family.

MAKING THE MOST OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION

The other day, a client came into my office and sat down in the rocking chair, she crossed her arms and asked, "Well, what do you want me to talk about today?"

Her response reminds me that many clients of professional consultation, particularly psychological consultation, do not know how to use the consultant's time. Paula's questions reveals her belief that the consultant is in complete charge of the relationship, can read her mind, and has ready advice for every contingency.
It is understandable that people put this much power into the hands of their consultants. If you have a problem that is overwhelming, it somehow feels safer to let someone else be in charge of the solution.

The problem is that you the client have to make the decisions about your life and work. As Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here." No one other than yourself can ultimately decide your proper course of action.
Psychologists know from our research that people will take credit for their successes and blame someone else for their failures. What most people don't realize is that if you are brave enough to take full responsibility for all of your decisions, whether or not they were guided by a consultant, you have much more of a chance of success.
Because you are noticing all of your little and big failures along the way, you stand a better chance of correcting the problems before a crisis erupts.

Too often I am confronted with clients who have waited until the top has blown off. They are desperate. They want immediate solutions. They often get disgruntled with the consultative process because we are taking time to repair damage before we can move to more proactive work. If as the client you are ready to face your weaknesses as well as your strengths, if you are ready to admit your ignorance, the consultant can step in sooner to help you.
If you view each failure as only feedback, you will be operated as the cybernetic system you were designed to be. Get your Ego out of the way. Admit your ignorance. Use skills creatively. Be open to solutions that at first sound ridiculous. They may sound ridiculous because you haven't had time to expand your consciousness to include new ideas.

The consultant's job, if they are doing their job, is more process oriented than task oriented. While you may want the advice or labor of your consultant regarding tasks that you are not skilled to handle, the consultant can help you best by getting you to think and use your own talents toward the solution.
Your lawyer cannot write up a will without knowing your wishes specifically. Your CPA cannot advise on investment of even tax planning without understanding your financial objectives. Your psychologist cannot guide you in tricky interpersonal problems without knowing how you feel.

Knowing that you are really the decision-maker makes it a lot easier to take charge of the consultative process and ask the questions that need asking. Don't be afraid to ask a stupid question.

Slow your consultant down and ask for clear explanations and rationale for their recommendations. The psychologist is an expert in her field and may not realize that you don't understand her jargon or thought process. You are paying the psychologist for her education, knowledge and expertise, and to help you make the best decision for yourself and your family.

Finally, if you are going to benefit by the use of a consultant, be prepared to do some hard work. Change is not an easy process. Just as when you first learned to drive a car, you have to be aware of every little move if you are to change your behavior. Now, driving a car is so automatic that your rarely remember the time between putting the key into the ignition and arriving at your destination. But at one time it took every ounce of concentration you had to master the ignition, the clutch, the rearview mirror, the brakes, the accelerator, the odometer, and so on.
The psychologist/consultant assists and guides in the process of change, but it is up to you to do the work. It is also up to you to refine the advice of your consultant to fit your unique situation. Things may sound good on paper, but in practice may need a little modification.
Psychologists know from our research that if too much time lapses between the consultation and taking action, the person will not do the required work in order to change. Take the time to put into practice what your consultant and you have decided. Notice where it works and where it doesn't. Then keep modifying until you have a system that fits you perfectly.

Psychological consultation is probably the most intricate form of consultation you will engage in. The psychologist can open your thinking in directions you never thought of before.

Copyright © 2000 Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D., P.S.

Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience as a marriage & family therapist.

Welcome to Your Crisis

"Welcome to Your Crisis" - How to Use The Power of Crisis to Create the Life You Want. It's a book titled written by Laura Day. One of inspiring books I need to read this weekend. I will share to you as soon as I finished reading it.