What is the difference between counseling and therapy?

Answer: There is no difference. Different professions refer to “talk therapy” as either “counseling” or “therapy”. In the mental health professions, the term is used alternately to mean the same thing. Both refer to “talk therapy” or can be inclusive of group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy or play therapy. Those are all types of counseling or therapy.

How do I know whether I need to go for therapy/counseling?

Answer: If you have tried reading and applying self-help books to include parenting, relationships, a specific mental disorder or other issues and it has not worked, you should consider giving counseling a try.

What if I have already tried therapy/counseling in the past and it has not worked?

Answer: Many current and former clients report this experience. It is important that you speak with the counselor and explain what you have already tried and how their methods or techniques will be different. There are many reasons for failure in therapy. Some of which include but are not limited to the following: (1) incorrect diagnosis, therefore, the treatment plan was not effective (2) Using ineffective therapies to treat a specific problem. A situation which I frequently encounter is having children who have been diagnosed with ADHD, asperger’s or pervasive developmental disorders, extreme generalized anxiety disorders, oppositional defiant disorders who have been in non-directive play therapy for extended periods of time. Non-directive play therapy is frequently not effective with these issues, and oftentimes it exacerbates the negative behaviors. These are two of many reasons for failure in therapy.

How do I know what to expect from the counseling/therapy process?

Answer: Is the counselor hearing what you are saying about the issues, what you have already tried and what you want to accomplish, or are they on “their own agenda”? Is the counselor helping you establish goals and objectives that meet your expectations? Is the counselor providing you with some specific recommendations to help alleviate some of the issues immediately? Is the counselor recommending a specific treatment plan and projecting an approximate amount of time in order to reach your desired goals? And last but not least, if a treatment plan is not working after a reasonable amount of time (although this will vary it should typically be not longer than five to ten sessions), and you and the counselor cannot agree about why it is not working, you should seek help elsewhere.

What do I have to do for counseling/therapy to be successful?

Answer: Be honest with yourself and the counselor. If you cannot discuss the issues openly and directly counseling will take longer. If after one or two sessions you are not comfortable with a counselor, ask yourself if you are ready for counseling or if you need to consider trying a different person. A skilled, professional therapist will start with you where you are. Acknowledge that you can only change yourself and not others. If you change, others will change.

If you think I may be able to assist you, call to schedule a free 10 minute consultation at: