Individual counseling is a one-on-one counseling between a client and a trained therapist, in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. The client expresses whatever comes in his mind. The therapist here knows how to take out more of information from the client by making him comfortable enough to express his thoughts. By doing so, the client is able to identify those aspects of their lives that they would like to change. Thus, it helps them to have a better understanding of themselves and others. After counseling they know what is bothering them, and what they actually want from life. They set personal goals, and start working towards a desired change for a healthier and happier life The client here is told to explore, analyse, and understand their feelings, beliefs, and behaviors. This allows them to identify those aspects of their lives that they would like to change. Thus, it helps them to have a better understanding of themselves and others, and to set personal goals, and to work towards a desired change for a healthier and happier life.
How Does Individual Counseling Help?
Individual counseling involves a client to talk about their feelings, thoughts, and behaviours and things that are troubling them. For e.g. If a person is getting negative thoughts about himself that he is of no use and he has no meaning in life or feeling of low self-esteem, then in that case therapist helps them to come out of that negative pattern of thoughts. They might spend time talking about their relationships with others, the things they are good at and the things they would like to be different. The counselor or therapist works with them to set goals or identify the things they would like to accomplish together. They will help the client to develop different strategies which may help to reach the goals. In some cases, this could mean helping the client to change patterns of thinking, learning new skills, changing behaviours, or shifting the way they feel and express emotions. For e.g. The client may be asked to listen to songs and go for walk when they get any negative thoughts. This helps them to divert their minds and keeps such thoughts away. They may also be told to write down their thoughts and feelings whenever the client feels stressed or vulnerable. The counselor or therapist might also give the client homework so that he/she can practice some of the things they are learning outside of the counseling sessions.
The number of counseling sessions, depends on the severity of the problem. The problems could be any emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, harassment, grief, trauma, low self-esteem, guilt, interpersonal problems, stress reactions, and problems in living. The bottom line is that they are feeling conflicted internally and are in emotional pain. They know they are in stress or problem but still unable to figure out the actual reason for that. They feel helpless for not been able to come out of the situation, which makes them more vulnerable. Although often they attribute their pain to external factors, what they may not realise is that the deeper source of their pain lies in the defences formed in childhood. The very defences that help children to survive childhood pain become the problem in adult life by restricting individuals’ pursuit of goals and close attachment. The goal of counseling is to resolve such emotional difficulties and to make one a healthier self and to be less conflicted internally. It makes them reflect on their inner self to know who they are and what they actually goal in life. It helps them to have a clear vision of their own self.
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