What should I look for in a counselor?

Make sure you are comfortable with your counselor. This is why giving the first session free is a good idea. If you are not able to feel safe with your counselor, your progress will be greatly hampered. Learn if your counselor meets requirements for licensure. This will tell you if your counselor has been professionally trained and is bound by professional ethics. Ask what professional memberships your counselor belongs to. This will tell you something about your counselor’s personal values and continuing education. Look for someone with life experience to supplement the education. Many people can read a book and pass a test. But some counselors have experienced and gained from difficult paths in life to bring more than book knowledge to the counseling session.

What kind of issues do you work with most often with your clients?

Most often, it is a relationship issue that brings a person into my office. We can look at our relationships as a litmus test for our sense of well-being. For women in particular, relationship issues can lead to depression, a very common therapeutic issue. Many of my clients are survivors of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I can quickly see their hidden strengths waiting to emerge. Many clients have never been in a setting where it was safe to discover them before. Thankfully, this is the forum where unique abilities can be rekindled and allowed to shine.

How long should therapy last?

This will vary from person to person, depending on their unique situation. It is often helpful to work in eight- or ten- week blocks. There should be clear communication between the therapist and client so they both know the issues and the treatment goals for those issues. At the agreed date, the client and therapist will be able to determine the progress made and decide together whether to continue therapy.

How will I know a good time to end therapy?

A good working relationship with the counselor and clear communication should enable the client to know his/her progress. With clearly stated treatment goals, clients will learn to assess and mark their own progress. There is often a strong sense of satisfaction when clients can identify and see how far they have come.