Guest blog by Natashia Shoenroth, director of Ehrlo Counselling.
In observance of Mental Health Week (May 5-11) Ehrlo Counselling is encouraging people to talk about issues relating to mental health. The more that we speak up and share with others, the more we can do to break the stigma that surrounds mental illness.
Set the stage; you’re sitting in a waiting room waiting to talk with someone about some very personal and private information. It’s something you know that you need to do but it’s also something that comes with a lot of negative stigma attached to it. Why is it that it’s perfectly acceptable to go to your doctor about a cold you’ve had for too long, or to renew an old prescription, or to have your annual checkup but it’s not necessarily perceived as acceptable to go and talk with someone to have a “mental health” checkup? And, let’s be honest here, it’s pretty intimidating and slightly unnerving to open up the story of your life to a complete stranger. But once you can get past all of that, or at least become more comfortable with the process, you have so much more to gain.
At Ehrlo Counselling Services, the psychologists, clinical social workers, and certified counsellors work with people to help them better understand who they are, so that they can take better care and control of their lives and paths set before them. People seek out counselling for a variety of reasons that include but are not limited to things such as:
- Stress management
- Work-life balance
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self-harm behavior
- Anger management
- Divorce
- Parenting support
- Grief & bereavement
- Abuse
The nice thing about counselling is that you are not forced to talk about things that you are not comfortable with. You, as the client, help to dictate and drive the counselling process. You are free to reveal as little or as much as you feel is needed to help you through whatever might be hindering or blocking the path that you are on. The counselling process is a safe place where you can begin to learn about who you are in a deeper and more meaningful manner and hopefully achieve a better sense of well-being.
Developing a solid therapeutic relationship between the client and counsellor is a necessary factor in determining the outcome of counselling, and the counsellors work hard to develop such a relationship with their clients.
Some clinicians may use a cognitive behavioural approach to address a depressed mood or anxiety. Other may find motivational interviewing or a solution-focused approach to be effective. Whatever the approach you can be certain that our clinicians are trained and sensitive to make sure they are meeting the needs of their clients.
The goal is that the treatment plan is developed in collaboration with the client with hopes of achieving a healthier sense of self. And at the end of the day, there is n greater sense of accomplishment than someone working through difficult issues and coming out with a more positive sense of self and a more developed repertoire of skills and abilities to address future difficulties.
