Why Counseling is Important
You’ve probably heard of counseling, but are you aware of the positive impact it can have on your life? Counseling is more than talk therapy; there are also positive benefits that many people don't realize. The benefits of counseling extend beyond the counseling session. Like most things, you get what you put into it. It's not a quick fix or a cure, but you can start seeing these positive impacts on your life with time and consistency. How can counseling help you? Read more to find out.
Counseling Improves Mood
Although some people might be turned off by going to counseling, many people find it very helpful. At first glance, you may think that counseling is only for people with serious problems, but in reality, it’s for everyone! Even if your life is going pretty great or you have been starting to struggle with something recently, there’s nothing wrong. Therapy can help improve your mood and lessen anxiousness. According to Positive Psychology, counseling is effective for depression and anxiety treatment. Having a safe place to process things and create solutions increases mood and hopefulness. Our attitude impacts nearly everything we experience daily: our relationships, our work performance, our productivity, our thoughts about ourselves. The list is endless. Counseling helps you make changes to short or long-term problems by supporting you to make minor tweaks to your mindset that add up over time.
In addition, if even you are living a great life, counseling can help you reach your stretch goals and help support you in achieving them.
Reduces Medical Costs
Regardless of what has you considering therapy, there are positive health effects of mental health treatment. There are many documented benefits of counseling on physical health. Fewer trips to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms are just a few. This results in more money in your pocket, as well as lower premiums for you and other family members.
Anxiety and depression impact the body. Less motivation often leads to a more sedentary lifestyle, and chronic stress and overwhelm leads to long-term health effects. If your body is focused on managing emotions, it cannot focus on the tasks to optimize health like digestion, quality sleep, and achieving a calm state. Over time, this can lead to more inflammation, elevated stress hormones, and other health problems. Counseling can help you address mood-related symptoms and increase wellbeing in your body. Investing in your mental health is a great way to decrease trips to the doctor and medical issues that arise from chronic stress. In addition, many symptoms of anxiety and depression can lead to physical symptoms that are often diagnosed as depression, anxiety, or stress in a medical setting. Symptoms like: rapid heartbeat, increased tightness in the chest, headache, upset stomach; can be physical symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress manifest in the body. It’s important to rule out any medical cause and consider how counseling can help.
Counseling Teaches You What You Didn’t Learn in School
School provides education to get a job and prepare us for life after high school. However, while these skills are essential, they may not be sufficient for optimal mental health. A counselor helps you develop other skills — including socializing, adjusting to stressors, and managing your emotions — that aren't a part of traditional education. Working with a counselor during some of life's most difficult periods makes it easier to work through problems and gain confidence in new skills. Mental wellness is an ongoing process building skills to help ourselves through difficult times is essential in today’s changing society.
Counseling Helps You Overcome Patterns That Are Not Serving You
Therapy can help you overcome patterns and relationships that are not serving you, whether with loved ones, your job, or yourself. By understanding how and why these unwanted habits develop, you can gain insights into what triggers them in your life. It is estimated that up to 95% of what we do comes from habits. These patterns happen unconsciously over time. And once armed with that knowledge, you can take appropriate action to change them for good. This will lead to more happiness and less anxiousness in your life, and better physical health symptoms.
There’s never a wrong time to improve your mental state, whether it’s been years since your last therapy session or just hours! The important thing is getting started on making positive changes today. If you need help and support along the way, feel free to contact me and schedule an appointment.
