The Most Valuable Lessons I Learned From Seeking Counseling

Before I attended counseling, I was convinced that everyone around me was wrong. They were incapable of understanding their faults.

I was constantly being triggered. I decided to attend counseling because at some point I began to realize that the issue must be with myself.

After a few sessions, I realized that I could be right about the people around me. However, it was my responsibility to recognize my triggers and take control.

Counseling gave me a sense of understanding and grounding when I needed it the most. I left knowing that I had the tools to heal in a way that would protect me from my triggers.

My experience with counseling was enlightening. This is why I recommend attending sessions to anyone who may be having a hard time.

For many people, healing is a private process because of the stigma that surrounds seeking counseling. But why suffer in silence?

Professionals are waiting for you to schedule your first session. That session may transform your thinking. Essentially transforming your entire being.

Here are some lessons that attending counseling sessions can teach you.

You’re not crazy.

One of the biggest stigmas of seeking counseling is that the person in need must be crazy. Like who goes to a stranger and tell them all of their troubles? Only crazy people, right? False.

Counseling is for strong people. It takes courage to decide you need help with your issues. I would argue that it’s crazy to suffer in silence and portray to the world that you are perfect.

You aren’t crazy. You are justified in your thoughts and beliefs.

If you feel that seeking professional counseling makes you crazy, you are missing an opportunity to gain control over the situations that will eventually drive you crazy.

Get the help you need and let all the other people passing judgment be the crazy ones.

Take everything day-by-day.

In this fast-paced generation, it’s hard not to have a “now-or-never” mentality. This mentality functions on the idea that important things in your life deserve attention at this exact moment.

Making everything a “now-or-never” situation can lead to exhaustion. Soon, you might even notice that your productivity is lacking as well.

Through counseling, you will learn that taking things slower will bring you more peace. Allowing yourself to give your attention to individual tasks will also increase your productivity.

Juggling what you can and leave the rest for another day.

If you are not in any immediate danger, then don’t feel the need to act right now.

Talk over your issues with a counselor, who can help you establish a plan. A plan that will not stress you out.

Relinquish control.

Control gives people a false sense of empowerment. People often see having control over situations or others as a strength for themselves.

Control can be a weakness. The need to govern everything in your life can deplete your energy.

When you notice your energy fading, you soon realize that you never really had control over anything or anyone.

Attending counseling teaches you to be in control of the things that matter, and to care less about trivial things.

The weight of control could bring you unnecessary drama over situations that mean nothing to you.

Counseling will teach you that control over yourself is more important than your false sense of control over everything else.

Situations have gray areas.

It seems easy to picture every situation as black or white. It’s either this or that but never both.

Everything is not that simple.

There are gray areas to situations and people. Odd enough, most situations have gray areas.

Counseling will enable you to give the benefit of the doubt. Sessions will help you analyze situations from a place of empathy instead of strict logic.

You will acquire the tools to judge people with fairness and compassion. In return, you will expose areas of yourself that show your uniqueness.

Focus on value instead of lack.

The best way to create stress is to focus on receiving perfection from people. When people seek perfection from others or hold them to unrealistic standards, they disappoint themselves.

Counseling can shift your thinking toward seeing the best in people. Instead of seeing their shortcomings. You will begin to appreciate people for the value that they bring to your life.

You will gain the skills to help others build their strengths. You will lose the urge to seek perfection and gain the desire to empower.

Don’t set “bear traps”.

Do you find yourself repeatedly playing negative situations in your mind that haven’t happened yet?

Or do you put people through silent tests? And if the person doesn’t pass, you use that to justify your preconceived opinions about them?

These are called “bear traps”.

Bear traps are the mental triggers that we set for ourselves and/or others. These traps may be a sign that you are not being filled in your life and/or relationships.

Counseling will teach you self-reflection techniques. It will also teach you to communicate your wants/needs, instead of dwelling on bear traps.When you communicate your emotions and ask for what you are missing, you redirect the energy from confrontational.

Through counseling, you will acquire the tool to enter into conversations with the purpose of connection and love.

Connecting with a professional, can lead to a lot of breakthroughs in your mental health journey. You can learn some valuable lessons confirming that you are indeed not crazy.Seeking counseling will remind you to take things one day at a time. To give up control over trivial situations.

After a few sessions, you’ll be aware of the gray areas that exist in some situations. This will free you of your frustrations and allow you to see the value in almost anybody.Ultimately counseling will remind you to communicate your wants/needs while avoiding bear traps.

Have you ever attended counseling? If so, what did you learn?