Online counseling—or maybe you know it as teletherapy, e-counseling, or cyber-counseling—challenges the traditional therapy model, being that sessions are held online via video, phone call, or chat widget. That being said, it isn’t a completely new idea… but it’s certainly picked up speed and increased in popularity. The concept of online…
Humor can help the therapeutic process in more ways than one: first, it can help to solidify that bond between therapist and client. A therapist can also demonstrate humor as a healthy coping mechanism for handling the stresses of life to their client. Additionally, humor can help a client feel…
Humor can improve the client-therapist relationship and overall success in therapy. A study from The American Journal of Psychotherapy surveyed 110 clients and their therapists about the use of humor in therapy. It found that clients who reported more humor in their therapy sessions also reported greater pleasure in therapy….
Getting to the Root of the Problem Whether or not we like to admit it, most of us blow our problems out of proportion. Instead of recognizing them as fleeting moments, mishaps, or complications, we let them define and control us. And we quickly enter a negative tailspin. Matt Smith,…
A working alliance in therapy, otherwise known as the therapeutic relationship, is simply the relationship that exists between the client and his or her therapist. In this alliance, both parties have the same goal: for the client to make improvements and benefit from great change throughout the therapeutic process. It’s…
A key to finding success in therapy is building a positive relationship with your therapist and feeling comfortable enough to open up to them. Counselors use different techniques to help their clients feel more comfortable in therapy, and in turn, make for a successful therapy journey. First, it helps to…
When exploring different options for therapy and therapists, it’s important that you acknowledge the importance of a healthy therapeutic relationship and therefore avoid several types of therapists. The first kind of counselor you should avoid is the Conflict of Interest Therapist: or in other words, a counselor that your close…
Ask Yourself: What Am I Looking to Accomplish? First, ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Do you want to go on an exploration of what happened in your childhood? You may want to find a therapist who specializes in psychodynamic therapy or even hypnotherapy. Are you looking for someone…
Therapy is becoming increasingly popular and better trusted in our society, but some still wonder: how is it beneficial? And, how exactly will it help me? The answer isn’t simple or clean-cut, as every individual’s experience with therapy differs—depending on factors like age, duration of sessions, and issue at hand—but…
The day my friend decided to try therapy, she sent me a frustrated text: “Ugh, I can’t find any therapists!” Of course there were therapists and counselors in her area, but she couldn’t find any that met her other needs; more specifically, she couldn’t find a female therapist, who took…
Initial Questions and Considerations Consider why you want to see a counselor and imagine what the ideal counselor or therapist is like. The better you can define what you want, the closer you will come to finding her or him. If you aren’t sure? No worries, the interview process will…
Stigmas surrounding mental health exist in all groups and societies, but are particularly prevalent in the African-American community—making the concept of therapy or counseling a foreign one, at best. Some individuals simply don’t understand the practice, while others frown down upon it… leaving those in the community who struggle with…
