Whenever you or your loved one needs extra support to overcome a difficult experience, a mental illness, or to make the right life decisions, counseling can go a long way in helping you achieve your goals.
That said, when researching the types of counseling in your area, it can quickly get overwhelming at the sheer number of counseling specialties available today. Further, some counseling programs can overlap, leading to more confusion on which type of counseling would best fit you.
Identifying the best type of counseling service depends on what you need help with and your goals. The sooner you find the counseling services you need, the faster you can start your journey to recovery.
In this guide, we’ll look at different types of counseling available today to help you find the support you need to move forward and live your best life.
Mental Health Counseling
Mental health counseling is helpful for individuals dealing with mental illnesses and other types of distress. Also referred to as clinical mental health counseling, this type of therapy occurs in a one-on-one, couple, group, or family therapy session with a licensed mental health counselor.
Mental health counselors apply techniques like talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, reality therapy, humanistic therapy, systemic therapy, and psychodynamic therapy to help individuals with mental health disorders like ADHD, OCD, and PTSD explore their emotions, navigate challenges, and adopt coping mechanisms that improve their lives. However, anyone struggling with stress, trauma, relationships, or life in general, can benefit from mental health counseling.
Behavioral Disorder Counseling
Behavioral disorder counseling covers behavior-based conditions and seeks to replace negative behaviors with positive ones for improved emotional, mental, and physical health. Some of the mental health issues that this type of counseling can help with include specific disorders like ADHD, ODD, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and eating disorders.
School Counseling
School counseling is a readily available service in public and private K-12 schools. School counselors play a vital role in supporting the student’s personal, academic, and career advancement. They typically take on a mental health counseling role by offering the right individualized interventions for students struggling with behavioral, physical, and mental health challenges.
A school counselor also assists students in planning their careers and choosing the right colleges to promote student success. Overall, school counselors work towards developing holistic individuals who can achieve academic success and maintain good mental health well into adulthood.
Marriage and Family Counseling
Marriage and family counselors primarily work with married couples and families to navigate issues that may be limiting their interpersonal relationships. Some common issues that marriage and family therapists assist with include communication problems, infidelity, unemployment, parenting challenges, domestic violence, and mental health challenges.
Family therapy helps all individuals in the family unit to explore their actions and behaviors and how they affect the family. The counselor then offers a non-biased perspective on the dynamics and the best strategies to adopt to overcome their challenges and strengthen their bonds.
Marriage counselors utilize similar counseling techniques to help couples get rid of negative patterns and resolve their conflicts constructively. As a solution-focused therapy, the goal of marriage and family counseling is to identify the areas of strength that family members can capitalize on and areas that require improvement to create healthier bonds and stronger family relationships.
Substance Abuse Counseling
Substance abuse counseling is one of the most common counseling specialties available today. Now commonly known as addiction counselors, these are professionals who offer mental health services to people struggling with substance abuse disorders like alcohol or opioids.
A substance abuse counselor assesses a person’s mental and physical condition to determine the severity of the addiction and collaborates with other healthcare providers to develop treatment plans that may involve medication, therapy, support groups, and rehab programs.
Addiction counselors not only support the client struggling with a substance abuse disorder, but they also offer counseling to the family and everyone else impacted by their loved one’s addiction. They are resilient mental health professionals who are determined to help their clients break free and live a life free from substance addiction.
Career Counseling
Career counselors help you navigate your career path. Whether you’re a student or already in the middle of your professional journey, career counseling can assist in pulling you through tough workplace dynamics, figuring out the next best career move, setting career goals, and acquiring the right tools to achieve them.
If you are about to make a giant leap in your career or you need specific guidance for your career development or tools to navigate your current workplace, career counseling may be the best fit for you.
Rehabilitation Counseling
Rehabilitation counselors are trained to support people with mental, developmental, and physical disabilities. They help their clients overcome personal, social, or psychological challenges and limitations connected with their disabilities so they can live a quality life.
Grief and Bereavement Counseling
Grief counselors are licensed professional counselors who provide support for people struggling to cope with loss. Grief counseling can help address any behavioral changes connected to bereavement, complicated grief, or trauma that comes with sudden loss. A professional counselor applies techniques like ACT, CBT, art therapy, and play therapy to help clients of all ages overcome grief and rebuild their lives.
Contact Answers LLC for Effective Mental Health Counseling & Therapy
If you’re struggling with a mental illness or need help to overcome specific issues, Answers LLC is here to help. Our licensed mental health counselors offer individualized counseling and therapy tailored to meet your needs and goals. Take the first step and contact us and we will be ready to walk with you on your counseling journey.
