Therapy vs Counseling
Most people talk about therapy and counseling as if they’re interchangeable, and it makes sense why that’s the case. After all, they both involve a mental health professional working together with a client to help the client overcome their struggles. The approach though is different both philosophically and in practice. Below, we’ll explore some of the differences between therapy and counseling, as well as how you can determine which is right for you.
What’s The difference?
Both therapy and counseling share the ultimate goal of helping a client’s mental health through problem solving and growth, but each takes a different and equally valid path to get there. Some of their key differences are:
Therapy
In therapy, you can talk about your problems, but ultimately, the focus is on you as a person. This requires a deep dive into your personality, behaviors, patterns, and history among other factors, so therapy tends to be more long-term. Whatever the problem you came in for, therapy can help you with it but through a broader lens than you may have been expecting such as identifying and talking through why this issue is troubling you, how it impacts your life, and how you can develop the skills you need to overcome it and maintain your stability no matter what the outside world throws at you.
Counseling
On the other hand, counseling is more about a client working with a mental health counselor or clinical mental health counselor on a specific issue for a relatively short time. Counseling may help individuals learn to effectively handle a single source of stress or difficulty and is mostly focused on the here-and-now, providing practical strategies to tackle specific issues.
Which Is Right For You?
So you may be wondering “there are tons of counseling and therapy options in Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter, so which should I pick?” Both therapy and counseling are great choices, but they both have their unique strengths.
Therapy
Therapy might be the way to go if you have more widespread issues like trauma, depression, and other underlying issues and patterns.
Counseling
If, however, there is one main problem that is significantly impacting your life, then a short-term series of counseling sessions may be the most direct and impactful way to overcome this struggle and help you find your balance. It’s especially effective for life changes and difficult situations such as counseling for couples with specific relationship problems, or those recovering from addiction.
Both
Therapy and counseling both provide a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to feel heard, validated and supported, and while they have their differences neither is mutually exclusive.
Your therapist can include counseling on specific issues that may come up during your sessions. On the other hand, a counselor can help you overcome a specific eternal issue interfering with your life, removing a major stressor from your life helping you make your life and mental state a bit more stable to get the most out of a more long-term therapy program. I am trained in therapy and counseling, with extensive experience in both.
Final Verdict
When it comes to therapy vs counseling, neither is better than the other, but both are better than not taking action. Still not sure where you land? If you’re in the Palm Beach Gardens or Jupiter area, call me at 561-xxx-xxxx and let’s work together to find your best path.