Tool 5: Commitment to Counseling





The Diva's shabby pink toolbox



No, I do not have a sofa in my office.
If I did, I'd be taking midday naps on it.
[Boss would not be pleased.]


Many years ago, when I was a relatively new counselor, a client came into my office and immediately asked, "Where's the couch?"  I laughed and replied, "In my living room!"  While this was certainly a fine way to "break the ice," so to speak, it reminded me that there are a lot of people who--through no fault of their own--have no idea what counseling is really all about.

There are so many negative stereotypes and misconceptions associated with counseling--most of which can be attributed to the media's skewed, overdramatized portrayals.  Many people believe seeking counseling means one is weak and a coward, or that they're "looney-toons." 

Counseling isn't magical or something to be feared.  It is a safe, essential tool to get at the emotional and psychological reasons we became overweight and obese.  The mind-gut connection is one that needs to be explored so we can learn how to rewire it. 

So to dispel some myths and inform you of what REALLY goes on behind the closed doors of a session, allow me to explain what counseling is and what it is not:

• Counseling is basically a conversation between two people.

Counseling focuses on helping a person to identify the change they would like to make in their life, identify their strengths and resources, recognize the things that may be holding them back, and collaborate on the potential ways in which the person can make change happen.



Image:  Google Images

• Counseling is not a place that people go to find out if they're "crazy." 

It's an opportunity in which to get support when the world seems crazy.  It might interest you to know that in the last 13 years, I've never met a crazy person (for realz)...only people who were scared, in pain, grieving or confused about what to do next.  That's not crazy...that's human.

The New Yorker

• Counseling is not an activity where an expert "analyzes" the client or gives a diagnosis for a mental illness.

It's instead an opportunity for the counselor and client work as a team to make positive changes in the person's approach to life.

• Counseling is not a crutch for weak people. 

Rather, it is for strong people who decide that they want to feel better and live a more fulfilling life.  These are people who choose to face their challenges directly, rather than avoiding, being frightened or using escape strategies to deal with difficulties (for example, food addiction).  It takes courage to hope for doing something different and better than the coping skills we've used that haven't worked.




Counseling can help you to:

• understand the problem
• decide what's important to you
• come up with ideas about what to do next
• put your feelings and needs into words
• find your own strengths and identify other supportive resources
• recognize beliefs, habits and attitudes that may be hurting you or holding you back
• see things from a new perspective
• make the changes you want to make

A commitment to learning how to have a healthy relationship with food is an essential tool for lifelong weight loss and maintenance.  Hopefully I've offered a better understanding of counseling, debunked some of the myths and deflated any fears associated with it. 

Now that you know the truth, make a commitment to taking care of your emotional self by setting up a counseling appointment today.

 QUESTION:  What are some of the misconceptions you've had about counseling?

(c) Robyn M. Posson 2012. All Rights Reserved.