Counseling is amazing: My thoughts

So today I went to my first counseling session of the semester. Now I'm not having the same problems so much as I did last semester but there's still some things that need to be dealt with and worked out. Some of these problems are clearer for me now than they were. All are seemingly related to one another though.

I'm no longer feeling the gray clouds as I was last semester. Things really are better for me overall.  Now that's not to say I'm completely feeling 100% better.  While right now, I've felt better than I have in quite some time and actually right now I feel calm and happy. Things really haven't had a chance to get bad again yet. I'm not wanting to give it that chance either which is one of the reasons I'm getting help now. I'm trying to combat the problems before they get a chance to really hit me again. Which is why I'm seeking counseling when I am.

I have to say that I actually feel really good about my counselor right now. I think he is wonderful and is just the type of person I need.  He's certainly different than the other counselors I've had before. He makes me think which is exactly what I do anyways but he makes me think more about myself.   He says he yells at me but I don't see it that way. Sure he's more philosophical about things and gets excited by things but for me this works. I consider myself a thinker anyways.

At  least for once I'm actually talking to a professional. Someone who actually has their degree already. That is what I think makes the difference. The last 2 times I've been in counseling, I've talked to graduate students working on their Ph D in the field.  I hasn't mattered to me before because both grad students have helped me tremendously before. However, I feel that this time will be even better for me. I'm talking to someone who has had years of experience with this and can probably help me out a lot more. It's great.

Counseling for me has been extremely helpful. I've been only twice before. Once was back in Fall 2009 after I had a nervous breakdown after class one day. My breakdown was so bad that I actually got shaky and starting feeling lightheaded from hyperventilating so much. It was that moment when I knew I needed some help and I chose to seek it on my own. 

Now that I think about it, I've had counseling  back when I was in 8th grade. However, it was mostly when I needed mediation with my friends. Oddly enough, I was a peer mediator (I don't know how I was chosen for this) and yet I couldn't mediate things between my friends and I. Then again some of the friends were also peer mediators and were also part of the problems. In fact, I felt that I was in mediation more than I actually spent peer mediating. I think possibly there were a couple times I was actually in counseling to deal with my issues. Mostly though it was just dealing with my friendship troubles. Perhaps this is where my seeking counseling really began?


No one has ever forced me to seek counseling. It's always been my decision. I guess I'm not ashamed to know when I need help;When things get so much for me that I can't deal with it on my own and I'm struggling. Sure, I've been nervous to seek counseling and even talking to a counselor. Yet, I still have done it. I guess just knowing that they are they to listen and help me out is what makes the whole thing easier for me. This is actually somewhat uncharacteristic of me. I'm usually nervous when it comes to seeking help for things. Yet when it comes to counseling, I don't seem to have a problem. Even talking to a complete stranger in this case doesn't bother me.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I need help (again somewhat uncharacteristic of me) at least when counseling is concerned.

For me it has been helpful especially when I have things I want to talk about but can't talk about with some people. It's helped me become a better person and feel better about myself. Of course it seems that different problems surface once others have been taken care of. However, maybe not. Perhaps all these problems I have are interlinked with one another. It's just when one is taken of another makes itself known. 

Really though, counseling is amazing. It's not something anyone should be afraid of seeking if they need it. It really does help.