To get the most from your counseling sessions, it is crucial to know your counselor's philosophy. To aid you, I have included a brief summary of my beliefs, philosophy, and goals as your counselor.
PURPOSE:
In my view, the goal of counseling is to provide you, my client, a calm and accepting atmosphere in which to explore issues that you find troubling. Any challenge that you feel is inhibiting your well-being or quality of life is worthy of exploration. If something is troubling to you, it is worth discussing. No matter how small or inconsequential your concern might seem to others, (or, conversely, how disturbing), it is valid and worthy of exploration. Any subject that you want to discuss is appropriate, no topic is off-limits.
As is almost always the case, you, the client, will need to make a variety of changes to implement your goals. Our sessions, therefore, will focus not only on discovery, but on the best way forward to implement these needed changes.
Use our sessions to bring up any issues that are of concern to you. Possible subjects of discussion might include self-esteem, social relationships, family, career, school, spiritual, sexual, financial, or any other issues that concern you.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Both counselor and client have responsibilities in the counseling process. As a client, your major responsibility is intrinsically to yourself: that is, to be as open and honest as possible in sharing your thoughts, feelings, and concerns. The more openly you face the aspects of a troubling issue, the more beneficial the counseling sessions will be.
My responsibility, as your counselor, is to interpret the cues you provide and share my insights as you move toward self discovery. It is my role to guide you toward changes necessary to accomplish your desired goals.
While you might wish that I could magically change your life for you, I am only able to help you identify the changes you want to make. Through our sessions I can also aid you in generating methods to accomplish those changes. You will have my help and counsel as you strive to meet your goals.
As your counselor, I will listen carefully to your words, constantly assessing the meaning and feelings behind them. As I am able to understand your concerns, I will share with you my discoveries and insights so we can move forward together in the process.
RISKS:
Counseling has both benefits and risks. Risks may include experiencing uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustrations, loneliness, and unpleasant aspects of your life. However, counseling has been shown to have benefits for individuals who undertake it. Therapy often leads to a signifcant reduction in feelings of distress, increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, greater awareness and insight, increased skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems. However, there are no guarantees about what will happen. Counseling requires a very active effort on your part. In order to be most successful, you will have to work on things, outside of sessions, that we have discussed in our sessions.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
The sessions are completely confidential EXCEPT when:
- I have reason to believe that you intend to harm yourself or another person.
- A minor has been abused or neglected. (This does not apply to adults working on abuse/neglect that occurred in their childhood.)
- I am informed that you have a communicable disease that is affecting another party without his/her knowledge.
- I am court ordered to testify or submit files and records by a judge.