Why is Mental Health Counseling Important?

Mental Health Counseling – Overview

Nothing,

I repeat nothing is as important as your own mental health.

You cannot achieve your desires, be successful or have a healthy relationship if your mind is not at peace.

At any point of time, you are allowed to step back if you think it’s taking a toll on your mental health.

– Anamika Mishra

Imagine you are under tremendous work stress and you want to talk about it to someone who will listen to you. You don’t want to talk about it with your colleagues because you think that they might gossip about you to others; you don’t want to talk to your faily members because you think that they won’t understand; You don’t want to talk about it with your friends because you think that they will give you suggestions like “Why don’t you find some other job?” or “Why don’t you take a sabbatical?” At such times, a counselor is there to help you out. A counselor will listen to you non-judgementally, will understand you empathetically, and will help you to reduce your work stress by recommending various techniques.

Mental health counseling is something that many people wonder about. It’s a difficult concept to grasp until one starts with the therapy sessions. It is a formal, purposeful partnership between a client and mental health professional. The duration of this process may differ from person to person and case to case. The client along with the counselor needs to work on the specific issue to resolve it. 

A counselor provides support for those who are experiencing mental or emotional distress. They use a wide variety of therapeutic techniques to help a person manage their mental health conditions. No matter whether these issues are mild or severe, temporary or prolonged, a counselor treats all the problems equally and in an unbiased manner. A mental health counselor has received training to conduct individual as well as group therapy sessions. They can diagnose mental health conditions, but cannot prescribe medications. Mental health counselors usually hold masters or Ph.D. in Psychology. Few states also do the compulsion of clearing the licensing exams in their states.  

The Importance of Counseling

Mental health conditions are often trickier to solve rather than physical injuries or conditions. One major reason behind this is that when the problem arises, it is already too late to do anything. The person suffering from mental instability is already consumed by their problems. Early detection is the key to addressing mental health conditions. Counseling is one of the best ways to address the main cause of mental disorders.

Counseling is very beneficial and at the same time important as well. Taking therapy sessions regularly in case of any emotional or mental distress can help to make your life more peaceful and also will give your life meaning and purpose.

Let’s know why mental health counseling is important:

1. Counseling helps you to vent out your feelings without being afraid of getting judged – Having a safe space where you can vent out all your emotions and feelings without having the fear of being judged or commented on is very necessary. Many times you are unable to speak out about what is in your mind because of the feeling of being judged. A counselor or therapist listens to you without any biases and provides you with a safe space where you can express yourself. Sometimes, people don’t want any suggestions. All they want is a listening ear. A counselor provides people that ear.
2. Counseling helps you gain the lost self-confidence – Going through any mental health condition or distress can take a toll on your self-image, self-esteem, self-confidence, and whatnot. Counseling helps you gain that back and make you feel empowered. It also provides you motivation and hope. Counseling makes you realize your importance and worthiness. 
3. Counselling guides you in life – In our lives, there are times when you may feel lost, helpless, hopeless, and broken. You may find yourself stuck and not able to find a direction. Counseling helps you in moving toward the right path in life. It gives you guidance in life. Counselors help you find a direction to move on and give you a purpose in life. Counseling even helps you understand if your therapy is working or not and makes you feel better. Counseling will never give you a readymade solution to any problem that you are facing. But, it will guide you to make the choices. 
4. Counseling helps you understand yourself better – Counseling takes out your hidden feelings, and thoughts outside and makes you a new person altogether. Sometimes, our qualities get overpowered by the problems that we are facing. A counselor tries to get these qualities out and understand yourself better.
5. Counseling improves your communication skills – Counselling lets you communicate easily and openly. It helps you express your emotions and feelings easily. It gives you the strength to speak out clearly and speak whatever you wish to without hurting others’ feelings. It teaches you assertive ways to speak and communicate your feelings more effectively. Counselors understand the obstacles that are forbidding you from expressing yourself and help you find a solution to overcome them.
6. Counseling helps in treating mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, etc. – Counselling helps you deal with mental health = issues like depression, anxiety, stress, and many more. Counselors can help you deal with these issues and overcome them. Anxiety and stress are common issues but when it is persistent, taking the help of a counselor is not uncommon. Medicines and therapy also work well together in treating numerous mental health conditions including Depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, etc. 
7. Counseling helps in improving relationships – Mental health conditions or distress affects one’s relationships as well. At that time, relationship counseling can help you in building bonds and strengthen your relationships. Counselors help in bringing clarity to relationships and also improve broken bonds. That is why people prefer taking relationship counseling also. 

The Bottom line

Mental health counselors can help treat mental health conditions and other sources of distress, such as relationship problems or bereavement. They do this by providing people with a safe place to vent out and explore their feelings and by teaching them various beneficial skills and coping strategies. Few counselors are also specialized in specific conditions, traumatic experiences, or addictions. It’s better to seek help from a counselor for any such mental health condition. It is important that a person feels comfortable with their counselor, as their relationship with them will likely have an impact on whether or not their treatment works, and thus, choosing the appropriate counselor is necessary for treatment to work effectively. 

Looking For Mental Health Counseling Services?

If you or your loved one is suffering from any distress or mental health condition and want to seek help from a professional, this is the right time. Do not be ashamed.

 To seek help from our counselors, book an appointment with them. To book an appointment, click on the link here.