At L&B
Counseling, we take great pride in the fact that we help people find the right
kind of counseling. The problem for most people, though, is finding the right counselor. The techniques offered may
be sound, but if the person hired is not compatible or does not work well with
the individual in question then it can be a strenuous and difficult process.
How should
you go about hiring a counselor, then? What kind of attributes need to stand
out to ensure that both patient and counselor can work together in the
long-term?
Dedicated
When a
counselor and a patient work together, it can be easier for a counselor to get involved if they feel a
genuine connection to the problem or to the person that is involved. If you
want to make sure this is the kind of treatment that is received, then you
should always look to find a counselor who you can see has a genuine connection
or interest in the field of issues that you are dealing with.
Working
with a dedicated counselor in that specific field can be useful for those who
feel they need a genuine specialist involved in counseling.
Always Available
It is
important to find a counseling service that is available when you need
them. Most counselors realize that the standard 9am to 5pm may not work for
most clients. Adjusting hours around peoples work schedules is necessary.
Offering hours that are convenient for clients may begin at 7:00am or 8:00am
and many offer sessions into the evening until 8:00pm or 9:00pm. Trying to
schedule a family counseling session can be difficult by trying
to get all the family members together at one time. Make sure you find a
counselor who offers hours that are convenient to your schedule.
Appropriate
You have to
hire a counselor who fits with your own requirements and hiring one who comes
without a background or experience in what you are suffering from is a waste of
time. Similar to point #1, try and appoint a counselor that you know has a list
of experiences in this in the past; they cannot provide references but they
will be able to give you an idea of if they know the kind of problems you could
be facing.
Patient
Any good
counselor will understand that getting to the end of the process and ensuring
that you are happy with what is going on will take time; this means putting in
the commitment and effort starting from today to change the facets and the
facts of the individuals life. A counselor won’t be able to tell you what to do
or make decisions for you, but they can help you find the right answers for
yourself.
Don’t work
with a counselor who proclaims they can help you get to the conclusion in an
instant – it’s just not possible.
Take each
of these attributes and apply them to your search – you might find that now you
know what to expect from a counselor that you can find it easier to locate the
right one for you. It will take time and commitment, sure, but it’ll be much
better in the long-term to work with a counselor that you know and can trust.