Psychological counseling is, same as psychotherapy, method directed towards a goal and has a clearly defined structure. It takes place in the form of a conversation, once or less often two times per week. Clients come with a specific problem they cannot resolve themselves and usually wish to acquire skills that make possible for them to solve this problem. Unlike problems that psychotherapy is dealing with, problem clients come to counseling with does not interweave several areas of clients‘ life and can usually be solved with a smaller number of seances (up to ten).
Counseling sessions can be done with individuals, couples or within specially selected groups.
Learn more: Individuals look for counseling most often for problems connected with learning (obstacles in learning, pupils and students), stress management, organization and time management, communication skills, problem solving and decision making. Between counseling sessions, clients work on tasks that were agreed during the sessions which are in accordance with previously agreed goals. Counseling with couples (premarital and marital counseling) can take place during all stages of a relationship. Counseling is recommended when there is a dissatisfaction in couple’s relationship and essentially it is a form of preventing disorder in a relationship. The difference between dissatisfaction and disorder in a relationship is in the emotional state couple is, most of the time; emotional state that is caused by couple’s relationship alone (sexual problems, household tasks division, money spending, time together, children upbringing, different values…). If negative but healthy emotions (anger, concern, disappointing with partner’s actions…) are overcoming, we are talking about dissatisfaction; if negative and unhealthy emotions (rage, anxiety, hurt, jealousy) are overcoming, we are dealing with disorder. Disorder in couple’s relationship is treated with physiotherapy. Dissatisfaction in relationship can be overcame with psychoeducation, by learning emotional and communication skills (assertiveness training) and by learning other skills that are necessary for the couple to keep a healthy relationship or to make a decision about ending the relationship if that is mutually beneficial for partners. When should an individual look for counseling?
When should couples look for counseling?