Anxiety & Depression #5: Counseling

Among the countless aspects of mental health that our society stigmatizes, counseling and therapy tend to stand out. If you are sick, you go to the doctor. If your car is acting up, you take it to the shop. But when it comes to mental health, people are SO reluctant to seek professional help. Why is that?

I think I can take a few guesses why we neglect our mental health:

• Seeking professional counseling is stigmatized in our culture. Often the characters who seek counseling in movies and TV shows are "just plain nuts"
• Mental health issues may not be easily observed by those around you. To your family and friends, you seem like yourself. Inside, you feel like you are living in chaos. 
• Perhaps you TRIED counseling and had a poor experience... like this lady 

Whatever the reason, I want to put in a plug for clinical psychologists and the work they do. I have learned a lot through the various types of counsel I have received and I think that EVERYONE can benefit from counseling at some point in their life. You do not have to be in crisis! Maybe you just want to work on your marriage or interpersonal skills. Maybe you are frustrated with your job or you never quite worked through something that happened in your past. At some point, there is going to be an issue that "effects daily functioning" in your life. Consider talking to someone about it! 

So how do I find a counselor?

For suggestions, I talked to my sister-in-law, Ashley, a licensed clinical professional counselor in Chicago. She noted quite profoundly, "It takes a lot of resiliency to FIND a counselor and GO to counseling." This is a critical piece that people often miss. In my case, I strongly disliked my first counseling experience and avoided it for many years. 

Ashley suggested consulting people or institutions that you respect to see if they have a recommended list of counselors. Once you have an idea of where to start, try calling a few counselors and ask if they would be willing to tell you a bit about themselves over the phone.  Keep in mind what your insurance will or will not cover and who would be considered "in network." If you start meeting with someone and it does not feel right, talk to them about it and be an active part of the process. You can always see someone else if things do not work out. 

Another friend reminded me that there are different types of counseling for different types of seasons. Some issues may involve you and your spouse, other times you may benefit from group counseling. At any rate, remember that you are an incredible, complex being with so many different facets. You are mind, body and soul and you cannot neglect any one of those areas (I'm not trying to sound "zen" here. See post #1 for clarification).


What is the difference between a biblical counselor and clinical psychologist?

This is a hard question to answer. Many churches have wonderful, biblically-based counseling programs with pastors or ministers available (often at no cost!). The Association of Certified Biblical counselors (formerly NANC) recognizes the "body-soul dichotomy" and explains their stance on mental illness and medicine on their website. According to this statement, a biblical counselor is going to understand that sometimes physical or medical interventions are necessary, but they see the Bible as the only Truth and a close relationship with God as the end goal of counseling. I would agree with that last statement. However, I have also seen that there is definitely a place for clinical psychology.

A clinical psychologist or psychiatrist has been professionally trained to deal with mental illness in the medical sense. Going to a clinical psychologist does not mean you are rejecting the spiritual aspect of your struggle, it means you are seeking professional help where it is needed. I have been blessed to find the best of both worlds in counselors I have seen. By asking trusted believers and professionals for recommendations, I have been able to find clinical psychologists who love Jesus and address my spiritual needs as well. Some have even prayed with me!


How long should I go to counseling?

As long as it takes. Do not put a time restriction on yourself. Some people go to counseling for a few weeks and solve and issue quite rapidly. That has not been my experience. Do not think of it as a problem to "fix." Instead, think of this as a time of growth. A time to learn more about yourself and the world around you. A time to draw closer to God and His people. Change does not happen over night, so be patient!

Counseling is just one step (albeit a very important one) to healing. I would highly recommend considering some form of counseling for any issues you may be facing. You may be surprised what you learn.