February 2020 - Hope Heal Change

A Perspective on Teens and Young Adults in Counseling (Part 1)

Posted on February 27, 2020July 9, 2024 by hopehealchange

A Quick Story of Realization with Counseling Teens When it comes to counseling teens, I remember early in my counseling career I was assisting a client through a break-up. While I was asking questions about the split, he smirked and said, "It's way harder breaking up these days. When you were in high school, it was easy." My first reaction was to wonder how old he thought I was. My second reaction was explaining that breaking up was still brutal back then. However, I soon realized he was spot on after we further explored his thoughts. High school breakups in 2020 are much more difficult to navigate. When I had conflict with anybody- friend, crush or significant other -I only had to awkwardly pass them in the hallway. Worst case, I had to choose a seat on the other side of the room. I didn't have to worry about blocking them on social media. I didn't have to worry about if they would find out that I blocked them. Nor did I worry about getting a "snap" or text from one of their friends Read more [...]

When It Might Be Time to Seek Counseling

Posted on February 22, 2020July 8, 2024 by hopehealchange

There is nothing wrong with seeking counseling. When we go the gym, we are praised for taking the initiative to work on our fitness. When we are physically injured, we are advised to take the necessary steps to heal-- rest, ice, heat, stretch, etc. Yet, when we are struggling with an emotional or mental health issue, we feel funny about telling people. Ironically, a battle with a mental health concern can cause some serious physical manifestations. It's almost inexplicable how little we have valued our mental health as a society throughout...well...ever! It's not until recently that people in the community, including celebrities and athletes, are having serious discussions about mental health. But how do I know if I should seek counseling? One of the first questions I ask a new client is: "Have you ever been in counseling before?" Regardless of a "yes" or "no" response, I follow it up with my next question. "How long have you been thinking about getting in to talk to somebody?"To Read more [...]