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Let Us Help: Figuring Out Your Counseling Goals
At NEW Meridian Counseling, we are committed to providing Meridian with the best counseling services. Our well-trained therapists actively enjoy helping our clients achieve their goals and, consequently, progress towards a more healthy and joyful life.
Mental Health struggles are much more common than most people are aware of. According to research from the National Institute of Mental Health, more than a quarter of American adults suffer from depression, anxiety, or another mental disorder in any given year. Some individuals come to therapy because they have felt one of these ways for a long time. Others may be going through a divorce or grieving a family member’s death, for example. At the end of the day, any time your quality of life is not what you want it to be, therapy can help.
That being said, therapy is no walk in the park. There are, though, a few different things that can help your chances of a successful outcome within the therapeutic setting. One of those is setting clear goals with your therapist.
It is common for the first few sessions of therapy to be heavy on things such as tears and venting as you bounce from topic to topic. You’ve simply been holding too much inside for too long, and it needs to get out. Eventually, though, it is imperative that you make sense of your thoughts and feelings to make progress and find greater peace and happiness in your life.
Going to a therapist is different than going to a doctor or dentist who can diagnose you and immediately give you medication or something of that nature to help you improve and move on. Psychotherapy is not about a therapist telling you what to do. It is more of an active collaboration between you and the counselor. So, working with your therapist, your problems should be organized into goals with clear outcomes. This will help both of you not only measure progress but also structure future sessions.
Ultimately, knowing your goals for therapy is important for several reasons, including:
While this might seem rigid for therapy, research and studies have shown that goals are connected to positive outcomes. This is due to the fact that specific, actionable goals help to break larger issues down into more manageable pieces.
At the end of the day, real and lasting progress requires time, patience, and resilience. Knowing the essence and spirit of your goals is essential in maintaining motivation, which happens to be one of the biggest challenges in reaching goals.
Remember that your goals in therapy can evolve over time. What is important to you now might change in the future, and that is perfectly normal. Regularly reviewing and discussing your goals with your therapist can help ensure that your therapy remains relevant and beneficial.
Ultimately, through therapy, you want to work to address the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that disturb you. With the help of therapy, you can work to not only solve the problems that brough you in initially, but you should also learn new skills so you can better cope with whatever challenges arise in the future.
At NEW Meridian Counseling, we have vetted our therapists so that you can feel assured that you will be meeting with a highly qualified counselor who can help to meet your needs and therapeutic goals. We are committed to helping you live a better life. So, please feel free to connect with us, and we would be more than happy to help you find the right counselor who can help you set and achieve your therapeutic goals and work towards overall improved well-being.
Mental Health struggles are much more common than most people are aware of. According to research from the National Institute of Mental Health, more than a quarter of American adults suffer from depression, anxiety, or another mental disorder in any given year. Some individuals come to therapy because they have felt one of these ways for a long time. Others may be going through a divorce or grieving a family member’s death, for example. At the end of the day, any time your quality of life is not what you want it to be, therapy can help.
That being said, therapy is no walk in the park. There are, though, a few different things that can help your chances of a successful outcome within the therapeutic setting. One of those is setting clear goals with your therapist.
It is common for the first few sessions of therapy to be heavy on things such as tears and venting as you bounce from topic to topic. You’ve simply been holding too much inside for too long, and it needs to get out. Eventually, though, it is imperative that you make sense of your thoughts and feelings to make progress and find greater peace and happiness in your life.
Going to a therapist is different than going to a doctor or dentist who can diagnose you and immediately give you medication or something of that nature to help you improve and move on. Psychotherapy is not about a therapist telling you what to do. It is more of an active collaboration between you and the counselor. So, working with your therapist, your problems should be organized into goals with clear outcomes. This will help both of you not only measure progress but also structure future sessions.
Ultimately, knowing your goals for therapy is important for several reasons, including:
- Preventing Aimless Venting. While it is important to have a safe space to express your feelings, therapy is more than just venting. It is about understanding, processing, and working towards positive change. Goals help guide this process.
- Enhancing Communication. Sharing your goals with your therapist encourages open communication. It helps them understand your needs and desires, which in turn, allows for a more effective therapeutic relationship.
- Direction and Focus. Having clear goals gives therapy a sense of direction. It helps you and your therapist to know what you’re working towards. This prevents aimless sessions and ensures that your time and effort are focused on what matters most to you.
- Measuring Progress. Goals serve as benchmarks to measure your progress. They provide a way to track the changes and improvements you’re making in your mental health and well-being. This can be encouraging and motivating.
- Empowerment. Setting goals empowers you to take an active role in your own healing and personal growth. It helps you feel more in control of your own mental health journey.
While this might seem rigid for therapy, research and studies have shown that goals are connected to positive outcomes. This is due to the fact that specific, actionable goals help to break larger issues down into more manageable pieces.
At the end of the day, real and lasting progress requires time, patience, and resilience. Knowing the essence and spirit of your goals is essential in maintaining motivation, which happens to be one of the biggest challenges in reaching goals.
Remember that your goals in therapy can evolve over time. What is important to you now might change in the future, and that is perfectly normal. Regularly reviewing and discussing your goals with your therapist can help ensure that your therapy remains relevant and beneficial.
Ultimately, through therapy, you want to work to address the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that disturb you. With the help of therapy, you can work to not only solve the problems that brough you in initially, but you should also learn new skills so you can better cope with whatever challenges arise in the future.
At NEW Meridian Counseling, we have vetted our therapists so that you can feel assured that you will be meeting with a highly qualified counselor who can help to meet your needs and therapeutic goals. We are committed to helping you live a better life. So, please feel free to connect with us, and we would be more than happy to help you find the right counselor who can help you set and achieve your therapeutic goals and work towards overall improved well-being.
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