Exploring Counseling Approaches to Find the Right Fit

The stigma around talking to someone is becoming increasingly less common, as nearly a tenth of Americans received counseling in 2019. While this may be the case, some are unsure what type of counseling they need.

So what are the different counseling approaches that are out there? How are they different, and which ones are right for you?

That’s what we’re here to look at today. Read on to find out more about different counseling options.

Psychoanalytic Counseling

This form of counseling is one of the older methods, but it has developed quite a bit over time. It involves a counselor understanding their patients’ minds to get to the root of what’s bothering them.

This may involve exploring things hidden in someone’s subconscious and discussing past traumas. Its aim is to help someone discover their mental balance by finding out about different parts of their minds.

Behavioral Counseling

This method is for patients with habits or behaviors that they don’t want, such as anxiety attacks or an eating disorder. It looks at how a patient’s environment causes many of these behaviors.

The aim is to look at past behaviors or life events and explore why these habits exist. Behavioral counseling usually involves things like a series of therapy sessions to guide a change in behavior.

Humanistic Counseling

Humanistic counseling focuses on the idea that every person has room to grow both psychologically and emotionally. There’s a much bigger focus on how someone experiences their emotions rather than on past events.

Those looking to better understand how life events affect them often go through humanistic counseling. It’s a great way to understand yourself. You can find ways to discover your own solutions to life’s issues.

Group Counseling

A form of counseling that people use when they need to focus on interpersonal relationships is group counseling. Most group counseling sessions involve a group of 6 to 8 people meeting regularly.

If patients need a support group that has a shared sense of community, group counseling is usually the best option. It also helps each group member share their unique perspectives and solutions.

Systemic Counseling

Systemic counseling focuses on things like a patient’s social or familial relationships to examine what they’re feeling. This comes out of the idea that someone’s feelings and behaviors are shaped by their social systems.

Cognitive Counseling

Cognitive counseling focuses on aligning someone’s thought process with their reality. Things like reality therapy and acceptance therapy are used in cognitive counseling sessions.

Patients whose thinking and reality are out of sync often seek this counseling since they often experience emotional difficulties as a result. Cognitive counseling thus brings their reality more in line with their thought processes.

Choosing the Best Counseling Approaches

Understanding the different approaches to counseling is crucial when choosing the right one for you. Use this guide to help you get a better sense of what these counseling approaches are and how they’re used.

For more informative articles on counseling and other topics, check out the rest of our site!