COUNSELING IN PLANO: WHAT TO EXPECT
Counseling in Plano can be life-changing. It can be a safe and confidential space to explore thoughts and feelings with the guidance of a trained professional. BUT it can also seem intimidating or even scary, and this can keep people from seeking it out. Moreover, those seeking counseling in Plano are typically achievement-oriented folks with high expectations for themselves and for their therapy outcomes, too. Below, I want to help alleviate fears of the unknowns about therapy and help you set reasonable expectations about what the journey will be like as you look for counseling in Plano to fit your needs.
YOU MAY NOT LOVE YOUR COUNSELOR, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T DISLIKE THEM
Most of us are not quick to share the dark details of life with anyone, especially someone we just met. But it’s often said that the most important factor in successful counseling is a good fit between therapist and client, and there’s research to back this up. So, if you can push through the discomfort a tiny bit, you might find yourself feeling a little bit comfortable being uncomfortable with your counselor. Their job is not to judge you. If, after a few sessions, you don’t feel some kind of positive vibe, that’s ok. Look for a different counselor in Plano.
PROGRESS HAPPENS IN BETWEEN COUNSELING SESSIONS, IN THE OTHER 167 HOURS OF THE WEEK
The work in therapy involves two people working together to address a specific problem. The counselor helps you develop coping strategies and solutions to your problems. But one hour a week can’t undo years and years of negative patterns. Progress is made in the hours in between sessions, by noticing behavioral patterns and practicing new skills.
As an eating disorder counselor in Plano, I ask my clients to monitor their eating patterns and pay close attention to thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. As an anxiety counselor in Plano, I ask my clients to monitor the worry scripts that play in their minds, while also paying close attention to physical sensations.
With new information gathered, I encourage clients to make new choices between sessions. They might go out to dinner with friends and instead of obsessing about how fat their thighs look or feel, they push themselves to focus on the good conversation or beautiful scenery as they breathe to calm their nervous system. Another client might finish work on a Friday, and instead of spending the weekend ruminating about all they likely did wrong on a work project, they gently refocus their attention over and over again on their loving partner and the hobbies they enjoy together.
COUNSELING IN PLANO WILL LIKELY TAKE LONGER THAN YOU EXPECT (AND COST MORE)
Counseling is not a quick and easy journey. Some come to counseling to work on small issues that can be tackled in a couple of months. Most others, especially in my practice where I specialize in eating disorders and anxiety, come to understand that the roots of their dysfunctional patterns are in childhood. Processing this and changing lifelong patterns just takes a while. But the payoffs are huge.
YOU MIGHT FEEL DUMB AT FIRST
The truth is… most of us weren’t taught the skill of identifying our emotions. Or how to express them well. Or how to regulate them. So it’s no surprise when we hit a wall in adulthood where the importance of these skills becomes apparent. It may be when you start to binge eat in response to a parent getting sick. It may be when you start having panic attacks when your job gets stressful. Again, we didn’t learn these skills in school. If we were lucky, we had parents or other mentors model these skills for us. If not, it’s never too late to learn these skills. Therapy is a great place to do that.
For high achievers (hello Plano folks!), having to learn emotion regulation skills is especially tough. You’ve done everything well in life, and your smart brain has gotten you places. To NOT be able to use that smart brain for fixing things feels ridiculous. Clients tell me all the time: “I'm a smart person. I do well at so many things! I know what to do, I just can’t do it.” Therapy can help, and it’s actually a reflection of your intelligence that you reached out for help.
COUNSELING MIGHT BE WEIRD
You might be surprised at the techniques used in therapy these days. You know to expect to be asked how you’re feeling and what you're thinking, as that's a hallmark of counseling. But the field of psychology has moved beyond just focusing on your head. We often focus on what's going on in the body, too. "Somatic" or body-based therapy techniques (such as might seem "woo woo," but many of them do actually have a strong scientific basis. After all, most of us can agree that we feel tightness in our chest or digestive distress when we feel stressed or anxious. Part of the solution can be learning to breathe more effectively or using visualization to calm these physical symptoms. Body-focused therapy techniques address this.
In conclusion, counseling can be a powerful tool for improving your mental health and overall well-being. It's a collaborative process that involves working with a trained professional to identify and work through your challenges. While it may feel intimidating at first, understanding what to expect from counseling can help alleviate some of those fears and make the process feel more manageable. With patience and dedication, counseling can help you develop coping strategies, improve your relationships, and achieve your goals.
A FREE CONSULTATION FOR COUNSELING IN PLANO
If you or a loved one are considering therapy in Plano or online therapy in Texas, please reach out! I can help. I have over 20 years of experience helping adults improve their mental health. I specialize in anxiety and eating disorders like binge eating, emotional eating and overeating, anorexia and bulimia. I offer in-person sessions at my Plano office and online therapy in Texas. Contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation and take the first step toward recovery. If I can't help, I can connect you to another great therapist!
