In April of every year, we celebrate Counseling Awareness Month. The field of counseling has come a long way in recent years. There used to be a big stigma against seeing a counselor. Although that stigma is still present in some ways, it’s not as prohibitive as it once was. Going to see a counselor is becoming more normalized, which is a wonderful accomplishment.

Although going to counseling is becoming more and more common, there are still many people who have never worked with a counselor. Like any new experience, seeing a counselor for the first time might be scary. You might not know what to expect.

That’s why MINES & Associates has put together this 101 guide on counseling for beginners. In it, we’ll give you the details of what you can expect the counseling process to look like. Here’s a spoiler: It can look different for everyone. Please reach out to Mines & Associates to learn more about our employee counseling services as well!

Let’s dig in.

What should you expect from counseling?

The exact process of counseling can be different depending on who you are, what you’re struggling with, and what type of counselor you work with. However, there are some things you can expect from any good counselor, no matter what.

First of all, you can expect your counselor to be non-judgmental. Counselors are trained to work with people from all different walks of life. You might feel embarrassed to tell them about the intimate details of your life – and this is completely normal, especially if it’s your first time in counseling.

But try to remember that your counselor isn’t there to judge you. All counselors should practice a non-judgmental approach. One key tenet of humanistic counseling is unconditional positive regard, in which your counselor believes in your inherent worth as a person – no matter what. The counseling relationship is a safe space in which you can be completely yourself with no shame.

Employee counseling is also confidential. That means that your counselor cannot divulge any information that you tell them to anyone else – not to your spouse, to your friends, or to your boss. In fact, they can’t even reveal the fact that you’re in counseling at all.

There are a few exceptions to your legal right to confidentiality. If your counselor determines that you’re a danger to yourself or others (for example, if you are at risk of attempting suicide or threatening to harm somebody), then they will need to take appropriate action to keep you and others safe, even if that means breaking confidentiality. Secondly, counselors are mandated reporters, so if they suspect a child or older adult is being abused, then they must alert authorities.

Lastly, employee counseling is about you. Sometimes, when we’re used to talking to friends or family members about our troubles, we aren’t used to all of the attention being on us. But in counseling, you don’t need to worry about “burdening” your counselor. This time is all about you, and you only.

What does a typical counseling session look like?

Counseling sessions will look different based on the theories and methods that your counselor uses.

There are three main formats of employee counseling: in-person, virtual face-to-face (video call), and telephone counseling. If you’re seeing a counselor in-person, you will probably wait in a confidential lobby or waiting room – just like you would at the dentist, for example. For video or telephone counseling, your counselor will give you instructions on how to log in to your session.

Typically, counselors will allow space for you at the beginning of the session to explore thoughts, feelings, experiences, insights, and events that have come up for you since your last session. Often, therapists ask open and engaging questions to help you explore. Many people find it helpful to prepare for their counseling sessions by writing down some notes on what they’d like to discuss with their counselor.

The important thing to remember is that the time you spend with your counselor is free of judgment and confidential.

What your counselor does with this information often differs based on what method they use. For example, a cognitive-behavioral therapist may help you to identify and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns that may have come up for you between sessions. Another type of counselor may engage you in problem-solving strategies. Some counselors bring other methodologies, like art, music, or mindfulness, to sessions when appropriate.

If your counselor has given you any homework assignments to complete during the session, then they will probably take some time to review the assignments and any lessons you learned.

What should I talk about in my counseling session?

Many people feel stuck about what, exactly, they are supposed to talk about in employee counseling sessions. Should you rattle off anything that’s on your mind? Should you return to the same themes each session?

The good news is that there is no “should” and “shouldn’t” when it comes to what you talk about during your counseling sessions. Remember, this time is for you – so you can use that time however you’d like.

To give you an idea, many people talk to counselors about:

• • How they’ve been feeling emotionally throughout the week

• • Any new mental health symptoms they’ve noticed

• • How their relationships are going

• • Their stress levels

• • How they have been coping with stressors

• • Challenges they have encountered in life

• • Lessons or insights they have gained about themselves

• • Any new habits they have picked up (whether positive or negative)

• • Behavioral patterns they’ve noticed in themselves

• • Worries they have been ruminating about

• • Current feelings (for example, if you feel anxious about being in counseling, you can tell your counselor this!)

• • Past traumatic experiences they’ve gone through

• • Their hopes, dreams, and goals for the future

What will my first counseling session be like?

Starting employee counseling can be a daunting experience, especially if it’s your first time. It’s normal to feel nervous or uncertain about what to expect during your initial session.

Your first counseling session is typically an opportunity for you and your counselor to get to know each other and discuss your goals for therapy. Your counselor may ask you some questions about your personal history, current concerns, and what you hope to achieve through counseling.

The first session is also an opportunity for you to tell your counselor about any previous experience with therapy and any preferences or concerns you have about the process.

Your counselor may also need to go through some “housekeeping” tasks during the first session, like having you sign consent forms and talking to you about confidentiality.

Ultimately, the first session is an important step towards building a strong therapeutic relationship and finding the support you need to achieve your mental health goals. If you have any questions about the counseling process, then this first session is a great time to ask them.

Get counseling through your Employee Assistance Program

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed on where to start looking for a counselor to begin with, going through your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) could be a good option. MINES & Associates provides free and confidential 24/7 employee counseling to all employees who are members of our EAP. Learn more about our EAP today.

To your wellbeing,

The MINES Team

When you think about your well-being, you might consider things like whether you’re exercising enough, eating nutritious meals, and getting plenty of restful sleep every night. Some people might also think about how they’re doing in terms of their mental health – for example, you might try to pay attention to signs of depression or manage your stress in healthier ways.

You may not think of counseling as a way to improve your well-being. Most of us tend to think of counseling as something you need when you’re already unwell. For example, you might see a counselor if you’ve recently experienced a loss or are having marital problems.

But just like you’d see a personal trainer for fitness needs or a spiritual advisor to connect more with your faith, you can see a counselor to improve your mental and emotional well-being. You don’t need to live with a mental illness to benefit from seeing a counselor. In fact, counseling could be the missing piece in your overall well-being – and if you’re part of MINES & Associates’ Employee Assistance Program, it’s a free service that you have at your disposal.

Let’s discuss how counseling might be able to benefit you, and how to get started if you’re interested.

The benefits of counseling for your health and well-being

Counseling, or talk therapy, is often used as an effective treatment intervention for mental health conditions. But that’s not all counseling is good for. Many people go to counseling simply to maintain their well-being.

There are so many benefits of counseling for your health, whether or not you live with a mental health condition. Counseling can help you:

• • Become more aware of your thoughts and emotions

• • Have a safe and confidential space to explore those thoughts and emotions as well as past experiences

• • Learn skills to better manage stress

• • Improve your sense of self-worth and self-esteem

• • Become more compassionate with yourself

• • Set personal goals and be accountable to them

• • Live a more meaningful life that’s aligned with your deepest values

• • Explore underlying issues that may have stemmed from childhood or other past experiences

• • Make healthier decisions

• • Manage strong and painful emotions like anger or grief

• • Encourage you to making healthy changes in your life, including changes in your physical health habits (like exercise or sleep)

• • Improve your communication skills and strengthen your interpersonal relationships

• • Make you feel less alone

• • Ensure you’re setting aside time to take care of your mental and emotional health

By seeing a counselor, you can ensure that every part of your well-being is taken care of. Well-being isn’t just about being physically healthy. It’s about addressing every aspect of your health, and feeling physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, spiritually, and financially at your best. Counseling can help you address many of these areas.

If your well-being is important to you, but continue to feel like you’re not living up to your full potential, it could be that counseling is the missing link.

Overcoming common concerns about counseling

There might be some things that have held you back from seeing a counselor. But it’s important to understand that while all of these concerns are valid, some are based on myths that simply aren’t true.

Some common reasons people don’t see a counselor (even though it could benefit them) include:

• • Stigma: People may worry about what others will think of them if they find out they are seeing a counselor. Although things have improved, there is still a big stigma against getting mental health support, and it’s valid to be concerned. In reality, counselors and other mental health professionals are bound by confidentiality laws, and they will never speak to anyone about your sessions except under specific emergency situations. No one has to know that you’re seeing a counselor if you don’t want them to.

• • Finances: People could also be under the impression that counseling is expensive and not often covered by insurance. Although this is true in some cases, there are exceptions. For example, your employer may offer an Employee Assistance Program that provides free counseling.

• • They don’t have a mental illness: Some may believe that counseling is only a treatment for those who live with a mental illness like depression. While counseling is very effective in treating mental health conditions, people see counselors for many different reasons that have nothing to do with mental illness. For example, people could see a counselor to be more accountable to their goals or simply to deepen their self-awareness.

• • Not knowing where to start: Some people don’t see a counselor simply because they don’t know how to find one. This is valid, and some communities do face lower access to mental health treatment providers than others. However, there may be some avenues in which you can access counseling easily – for example, through your EAP.

• • Discomfort talking about personal issues: Many people find the idea of talking about personal issues to someone outside of their inner circle very uncomfortable. You may not be used to sharing intimate details of your inner life to anyone else. It may help to know that part of your counselor’s role is to build a strong therapeutic alliance with you. This may take time, but your counselor will work together with you to ensure that a trusting and safe relationship is built.

What to expect in counseling

It can be scary to start counseling when it’s your first time. Some people find it helps to know what to expect.

Choosing the right counselor is important. Define for yourself what it is that you’re looking for in a counselor. Different counselors have different approaches. They also have different areas of expertise – for example, if you want to address relationship concerns, then it may be helpful to work with a counselor who is trained in this area.

In the first counseling session, your counselor will focus on getting to know more about you. They may ask you questions about what you’re hoping to gain from counseling, your past experience with counseling, your mental health history, and more. They will start building a therapeutic alliance with you right away in these initial stages of counseling.

The first session is also an opportunity for you to ask questions. You can ask questions about the counselor’s style, whether or not you will receive homework between sessions, cancellation policies, information about insurance and billing, and more. If there is something important that you’d like the counselor to know, then this is a great opportunity to share – although you don’t need to share everything in one session.

Assessment may take several sessions. Your counselor may gather information to develop an appropriate plan and make a diagnosis when appropriate.

What comes next may depend on what theoretical orientation your counselor is working from. Some counselors may help you work on your relationship skills, while others may help you to address and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, while others may help you process past trauma.

How long you are in counseling also depends on your specific situation. Some people are only in counseling for a few months, while others are in counseling for several years. Just like seeing a personal trainer, it depends on your goals and what you’re hoping to gain.

No matter what type of counselor you work with, certain things will remain true across the board. For example, all licensed counselors are bound by confidentiality laws. This means that they are legally required to keep the information you share confidential.

There are a few exceptions – if you are at risk of hurting yourself or others, then the counselor may need to share information to keep you and others safe. Counselors are also mandated reporters, which means that if you share that a child is being abused, then they will need to report this information to the appropriate authorities.

How to get started with counseling

If you’re interested in reaching holistic well-being through counseling, then there are many ways to begin.

Some people find their counselor through their health insurance. You can also ask your primary care provider, or other community members, for recommendations. Going through your Employee Assistance Program is a quick and hassle-free way to get started with counseling. MINES & Associates’ EAP provides 24/7 free and confidential counseling as well as managed behavioral health care and more. Get in touch with us to learn more about your benefits and see how counseling could help you.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team