QUESTION:  What is mental health?

ANSWER: Mental health is the state or condition of being well mentally, characterized by soundness to thought and outlook, adaptability to one’s environment and balanced behavior. It is reflected in the way people think, feel and act as they face life’s situations. It affects how they handle stress, relate to one another, and make decisions. It influences the ways individuals look at themselves, their lives and others in their lives.

QUESTION: What is counseling?

ANSWER: The word counseling (or counselling) comes from the Middle English counseil, from Old French conseil, from Latin cōnsilium; akin to cōnsulere, to take counsel, consult.  Counseling can be defined as a relatively short-term, interpersonal, theory-based process of advising persons who need to resolve developmental and situational issues.

QUESTION: What is psychotherapy?

ANSWER: Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid clients in solving problems of everyday living. This usually includes increasing the individual sense of well-being and reduction of subjective, discomforting experiences. Psychotherapists employ a range of techniques based on relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior modification that are designed to improve the mental health of individuals and groups (such as in a family).

QUESTION: Is there a difference between counseling and psychotherapy?

ANSWER:  Technically, “counselor" means "advisor". It involves two people working together to solve a problem. It is a term that is used in conjunction with many types of advice giving. For example, financial planning and spiritual guidance are both types of counseling. Just about anyone at all may claim to be a counselor if he/she is in the role of giving advice.

In the context of mental health, "counseling" is generally used to denote a relatively brief treatment that is focused most upon behavior modification. It often targets a particular symptom or problematic situation and offers suggestions and advice for dealing with it.
 
"Psychotherapy," on the other hand, is generally a longer term treatment which focuses more on gaining insight into chronic psychological and emotional problems. Its focus is on the consumer’s thought processes and way of being in the world rather than specific problems.
 
In actual practice there may be quite a bit of overlap between the two. A therapist may provide counseling with specific situations and a counselor may function in a psychotherapeutic manner. Generally speaking, however, psychotherapy requires more skill than simple counseling. It is conducted by professionals trained to practice psychotherapy such as a social worker or psychologist. While a psychotherapist is qualified to provide counseling, a counselor may or may not possess the necessary training and skills to provide psychotherapy.

QUESTION: How does one find a good therapist?
ANSWER: Therapy is a collaborative process, so finding the right match, someone with whom you have a sense of rapport, is critical. After you find someone, keep in mind that therapy is work and sometimes can be painful. However, it also can be rewarding and life changing. Here are a few tips for choosing a therapist:

		With the help of your physician, rule out the medical cause of your problem(s)
		Find our what the mental health coverage is under your insurance policy
		Ask a friend or trusted professional for a referral
		Utilize the internet
		Before making an appointment, specify age, sex, race, or religious background if those characteristics are important to you
		Make sure the therapist has experience helping people whose problems are similar to yours
		Ask the receptionist about the therapist’s expertise, education, and number of years in practice
		Follow your instincts

QUESTION: How does therapy work?

ANSWER: Therapy uses a powerful, highly affirming process of inquiry, self-discovery, feedback and support that helps consumers build clarity and awareness around what is most important, in any area of life, or undertaking. The therapist aids consumers in harnessing an awakened sense of clarity and purpose to choose practical, concrete action steps in realizing visions, goals or dreams. Working in this “inside-out” manner results in a sense of being fully aligned, producing consistent forward progress, while allowing consumers to enjoy the process, as well as the accomplishment.

We work with individuals, couples, families and groups including people of all spiritual and religious persuasions. Instead of focusing only on your symptoms, we work to uncover their causes. We help you to get to the root of your issues, make permanent changes, and achieve real results in your life. We do not judge or criticize our consumers. Instead, we help them to talk feely as a way to begin having the life they truly want in love, work and play.