You talk. We’ll listen.
How do you know you if counseling may help you?
01
You’re noticing changes in your appetite and/or ability to sleep.
02
Building and maintaining relationships is difficult for you.
03
You don’t enjoy activities you once loved.
04
You know “something has gotta change,” but don’t know where to start.
What health conditions may counseling help?
Where there has not been a clear connection to treat the body physically, talking to a counselor can help individuals with symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Decreased concentration and focus
- Depression
- Difficulty building or maintaining relationships
- Fatigue
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Having “high highs” and “low lows”
- Headaches
- Impaired memory
- Inability or difficulty regulating emotions
- Joint pain
- Mood swings
- Muscle pain
- Poor self-esteem
- Sleeping too little or too much
- and more!
What can a professional licensed counselor do to help?
A counselor can help you understand what you are experiencing and create a tool-kit of strategies to help you.
A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) is a mental health professional that helps provide mental, behavioral, and emotional support to individuals.
At Loehr Health Center, we believe that the emotional, chemical, and physical parts of our body must all work together to function well. It is normal for all providers at our clinics—including counselors—to ask you about your family history, lifestyle, diet, physical activity, and more. Depending on your specific needs, a counselor may collaborate with a functional medicine doctor on nutrition and supplementation or a medical doctor. This holistic approach to care means a streamlined approach to help you reach your counseling goals.
Should I see a counselor?
Counseling is a recommended therapy for anyone looking to prevent or improve the symptoms of a mental disorder.
Individuals who are at risk for a mental illness are encouraged to seek help from a licensed professional.
Risk factors for developing a mental disorder include an individual’s:
- Family history—if a blood relative (like a parent or sibling) has a mental illness
- Stress
- Traumatic experiences—ex. abuse, military combat, car accident
- Chronic (on-going) medical condition
- Substance abuse (ex. alcohol or recreational drug)
- Personal health history of mental illness
- Brain damage from a traumatic injury
- Few healthy relationships with friends and/or family
We value your physical and emotional health. If we feel that counseling is not an appropriate or effective treatment option for you, we will refer you to the appropriate healthcare provider.
Understand your therapy and counseling sessions.
Counseling FAQs and Answers
Do you prescribe medicine for mental disorders?
No, we do not prescribe medication for mental health disorders.
If needed, we will refer you to a psychiatrist for further evaluation and treatment. After an evaluation, the psychiatrist would then determine medical necessity and be able to prescribe medication.
How often will I meet with my counselor?
In general, clients see steady progress with a weekly counseling session. The frequencies of your counseling sessions are mutually agreed upon by you and your counselor.
The number of visits depends on your goals and current situation.
Is what I say in counseling confidential?
Therapy is most effective when you can be honest with your counselor. Counseling, with a licensed professional, is designed to be a safe space for you to be comfortable talking about private information. That is why counselors are licensed healthcare providers who must follow a strict code of ethics and confidentiality protocol.
Healthcare providers may disclose information without a patient’s consent under specific exemptions. Some common times a healthcare provider may disclose information without consent include if they are
- Acting in order to protect the patient or the public from serious harm — if, for example, a patient discusses plans to attempt suicide or harm another person.
- Aware of the ongoing domestic violence, abuse or neglect of children, the elderly or people with disabilities. In this case, healthcare providers are mandated (required) by law to report the information.
- By Order of the Court. That might happen if a person’s mental health came into question during legal proceedings.
What Are Some Common Myths About Counseling?
There are many myths about counseling. Here are a few counseling myths:
- Going to therapy or counseling is a sign of weakness.
- It takes an incredible amount of emotional intelligence and strength to recognize that a problem may be too large and overwhelming to approach alone.
- One therapy session will “fix everything” or counseling “just didn’t work” after a couple sessions.
- Counseling is not going to “fix” your life. That isn’t the goal. Counselors are here to help you identify concerns, set goals for yourself, and help you explore how to reach them. In order to work through any problems, you and your therapist will talk about your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to help you discover your options. It’s your mountain to climb. We are here to support you, but no one is going to make you move.
- No one understands what I’m going through.
- Every person has their own story and unique journey. We agree that no two people are alike. However, our licensed professional counselors have been trained to be sensitive, respectful, and understanding of the distinctive experiences of each client.
We are here to help you in your healthcare journey—not judge you.
Have another question about seeing a counselor? We’re happy to help.
