Most people undermine and misunderstand Life counseling services are many a time. In today’s fast-paced and increasingly globalized world, life counseling services have played a pivotal role in providing relief and helping individuals create better personal and professional lives. Before we indulge in how life counseling services can benefit you and the people around you, let’s first understand what life counseling is all about?
What is Life Counseling?
Counseling is basically talking therapy that allows people to express and understand what they are in need of. Then the counselor helps draft a support system and resources that can be used to help them propel forward. Life counseling integrates emotional as well as practical aspects of one’s life in which they are struggling. Seeking life counseling services not only helps these individuals manage their thoughts and emotions better but also allows them to create a better home and workplace environment. This is different from psychotherapy which involves diagnosis and treatment of mental health illnesses. Life counselling is often confused with therapy, but the fact is both are entirely different but are designed to help people overcome psychological and physical struggles in life.
Who Is In Need Of Life Counseling Services?
Anyone who wants to be heard, wants to talk about their feelings, desires and problems, seeking clarity of thought and trying to gain perspective, need support for personal or professional development in a safe and non-judgmental environment should reach out to life counseling centers in their communities.
Life counselors are trained in helping people set goals, create a pathway to success, overcome emotional barriers, alleviate the effects of painful past experiences and provide them with skills and tools to move forward. Many people may not feel comfortable sharing their deepest, darkest stories with their loved ones, but the life counselling centers provide a very safe, confidential and private area for people to open up to trained counselors who are empathetic and have the skills to help people move past their daunting experiences.
Benefits Of Using Life Counseling Services
Life counseling services help individuals dealing with past trauma and abuse, PTSD, phobias and addictions, anxiety and depression, low self-confidence and self-esteem, grief, effects of bullying and harassment, and domestic violence etc. If not taken care of on time, these conditions may lead to severe mental instability having long-term effects on personal and professional relationships even after the event has been long over. People who suffer silently may either harm themselves or others if timely intervention is not made. That is why it is crucial that anybody who feels stuck and unable to move on from a particular situation seek life counseling to create a better life for themselves.
Life Counseling Services For Families
Many life counseling centers provide services for families only. These services include:
1. Pre-marital counseling
2. Couple’s counseling
3. Parenting
4. Children and Adolescent counseling
5. Post-Partum Depression
6. Matters of Divorce
8. Grief
Life Counseling Services For Individuals/Professionals
Other life counseling centers may provide services geared towards individual well being only. These services may include:
1. Education Counseling in schools and colleges
2. Career Counseling
3. Career Progression and Leadership Roles
4. Managing Work-related Anxiety and Stress
5. Eating Disorders
6. Drug abuse and Addictions
7. Health education in clinics and hospitals
8. Trauma and Abuse
Misconceptions About Life Counseling
Many people have misconceptions about what life counseling is all about. They think it is for ‘crazy’ people, who are not normal or are incompetent or inefficient somehow. This is entirely false. Many successful, very competent individuals seek life counseling to excel in their life. It is completely normal to be doing well in one part of your life and struggle in another. People who seek life counseling are basically aware that they are struggling at some aspect of their life and do not shy away from seeking the help they need, only because they know that life counseling is going to help them improve their current situation.
Some Other Major Misconceptions Listed Below
Myth#1
Only people with mental illnesses (diagnosed or undiagnosed) need life counseling services.
Fact: Life counseling benefits many stable individuals struggling in a specific area and seek guidance and support to excel in personal and professional life.
Myth#2
Life counseling services are only for dysfunctional individuals/families who are weak or incompetent to find solutions to their own problems.
Fact: Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses, and its actually a sign of great strength to ask for help when you need it.
Myth#3
Life Counseling only helps people who are severely handicapped by their struggles and on the verge of self-harm.
Fact: Though this may be partially true, counseling can help individuals who are suicidal, but life counseling services can provide many other benefits to people who are not suicidal. A list of services has already been provided above.
Myth#4
Taking a child to a counselor means the child is ‘not normal’.
Fact: Although counseling may help autistic and specially-abled children and their families, taking a child to see a counsellor does not mean the child is ‘not normal’.
Myth#5
Life Counseling Services is only for unhappy, unsuccessful people.
Fact: This could be the lamest misconception that has ever existed. Many happy and very successful people seek life counseling services only because they want to improve their skills and abilities.
Many people do not seek help only because they feel people will judge them negatively. It is crucial to understand that in today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to get disillusioned, lose your track, and end up struggling. Life counseling is no quick fix, but it is a step forward—a step forward in the right direction. Take charge of your life, find a life counseling center that serves your need and get the help you want.
