Silly Bree! No yawning before the video begins :)

* Please pardon my 'frozen' face before the video starts. I am proud to show you all my flaws! *

​Hello and thanks for visiting Private Counseling’s Blog “What’s New in Therapy”! I am Bree Winkler and I’m a licensed professional counselor. You are watching this video because you think you could benefit from some therapeutic help. BUT, you are also nervous and unsure about the process. You don’t want to waste your time or money. You aren’t sure if your issues are big enough for professional help. Does this sound like you? Of course, it does! We all wrestle with the unknown. Therapy is a new experience, either because it is your first time ever talking to a counselor for help or it is just a new therapist to talk to. Here are a couple of tips to help you navigate this process.

• Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs help. You are not ‘crazy’ when you go to therapy. Instead, you are choosing to take care of yourself. Help is available.
• You might be thinking, ‘I have friends and family I can talk to,’ which is probably true. But, what if you need to talk about your relationships with them? Or, what if they just don’t know how to really listen to you to understand you completely? Or, what if you don’t know how to express yourself to them? This is why counseling is beneficial.
• Another reason for counseling is breaking poor habits. Habits are difficult to change. Why? Because it takes work and because change is uncomfortable. A good counselor can help you make a plan to change an unhealthy or unhelpful habit, as well as support and encourage you through the process.
• People want to know what type of reasons someone would attend therapy? Clients go to counseling for a variety of topics. I specialize in helping clients cope with the normal events of life: relationships, anxiety, mood changes including depression, anger management, handling unexpected events such as grief, job loss, moving, and also helping build communication skills for all aspects of a client’s life.
• People also ask how long they would have to attend therapy? Well, that also depends on the person. Some clients attend counseling for a few sessions to resolve a specific issue or reach a particular goal; other clients attend therapy for many sessions, depending on their personal needs.
• The final tip I have today is about the therapeutic relationship between counselor and client. This relationship is the MOST important aspect of effective counseling. Trust your gut during your initial phone consultation with a prospective therapist. If you are going to share your deepest secrets and fears with the counselor, then you need to feel comfortable trusting that counselor.

I hope these tips were helpful for you in making a decision about counseling. If you are watching this, I would be honored to be your therapist. My office is located in Peachtree Corners. If you live in GA, also offer Skype sessions for clients who cannot easily make it to my office. I hope to hear from you soon! But, most importantly, I hope you find the right counselor for you to get the help you need. Have a good day! 

I often notice people are shocked to learn they have break bad habits or change routines or get out of their comfort zones so they can experience something new. It is common sense; however, it is difficult to make changes. Even changes you really, REALLY want.

I struggle with this concept as well. The most recent example for me was deciding between opening my own mental health therapy office or continuing to see my clients in their homes. I could see pros and cons to both aspects, but I knew I needed to secure a quality office space for my business to grow. This is what I really, REALLY wanted… but, I was scared. I wanted something new, but I was afraid to do something different. Can you relate?

Why does change = fear?

Fear is defined as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.”

So, an individual’s belief about something causes the feeling. Once you feel fearful, you act paralyzed (immobile, unmotivated, stuck).

I’ve shared this before: our Thoughts/Beliefs cause our Feelings
                                                which cause our Actions.
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