How Counselors Help People Navigate Emotional, Social and Behavioral Issues
Counselors provide emotional, social and behavioral support to people in a range of contexts. They offer mental health services for children, adults, and families.
Counseling begins with an important first interview. This allows the counselor to understand their client’s needs and build a rapport that will serve as the starting point for further discussions.
Next, the counselor and client dive deeper into their problems through a problem assessment process that may include conducting case studies or administering standardized psychological tests.
Although this step may seem intrusive, it is crucial for clients’ success in counseling. During this step, the counselor gathers information about the problem, the client’s situation, and why they have chosen to begin therapy.
After conducting an assessment, counselor and client create a collaborative plan with specific action steps to reach desired outcomes. This process may take some time depending on the complexity of the issue at hand.
According to psychologist Sofia Mendoza, counseling can be greatly influenced by a client’s personal values and beliefs. This may be an influential factor when determining whether they are willing to seek help.
Counseling takes many forms, but all strive to give individuals the tools necessary for lasting change in their lives. Some therapies are short-term while others address the underlying cause of a problem.
