Understanding What Type of Counseling is Right For You
Whether you’ve tried therapy before or are curious about what to expect, the key point to remember is there are many disciplines, so if one method doesn’t seem to work, try another. Understanding what type of counseling is right for you might take a little time, but the benefits of healing are worth the journey.
How Therapy Can Improve Mental Health
According to Mental Health America (MHA), people often resist counseling for various reasons. “It’s common to dismiss therapy as ‘just talking to someone’ and make excuses: I already have friends to talk to; I won’t be able to open up to a stranger; I can just take medication. It may seem like therapy can’t possibly be effective in reducing the symptoms of a mental health condition, but a lot of scientific evidence backs the process.”
Researchers have determined that integrative therapy helps improve our brain’s neuroplasticity—which scientists define as “the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.” So while certain events, traumas, and stressors can contribute to mental health disorders, contrasting experiences—such as therapy—help increase healthier brain function and structure.
“Studies consistently show that behavioral and emotional interventions work just as well or even better than medication to treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder,” MHA states. This can be a real boost for someone experiencing a dual diagnosis of a mental health disorder along with a substance use disorder (SUD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD).
What Type of Counseling is Right for You?
Therapy provides numerous benefits: it helps you understand how your mind works, build healthier habits, process your emotions, and change your mindset and behavior to navigate life on your terms.
But no one type of counseling works for everyone. Many dual diagnosis treatment facilities, including Fair Oaks, offer more than one therapy method so individuals are exposed to different approaches and learn more about what works for them. Here’s a short list of disciplines to research.
- Art therapy. Utilizes creative processes such as drawing, painting, and sculpting to facilitate self-expression, exploration, and emotional healing.
- Cognitive behavioral. Focuses on changing negative patterns of thinking and behavior to improve emotional regulation and coping skills.
- Dialectical behavior. Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, it combines cognitive behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices to manage emotions, improve interpersonal skills, and increase distress tolerance.
- Existential. Explores your search for meaning and purpose in life, confronting existential concerns and finding authenticity and freedom.
- Family. Addresses relational dynamics within families, aiming to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen bonds.
- Gestalt. Encourages self-awareness through focusing on the present moment and interactions with your environment, often utilizing role-play and other experiential techniques.
- Humanistic. Emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization, focusing on the present moment and your subjective experience.
- Mindfulness-based. Integrates mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathing exercises to cultivate present-moment awareness and reduce stress.
- Narrative. Helps you reframe personal narratives, empowering you to separate from problems and construct more preferred stories about yourself and your life.
- Psychoanalytic. Rooted in Freudian theory, this therapeutic method delves into unconscious conflicts and past experiences to bring about insight into and resolution of psychological issues.
Not every therapeutic approach is right for each person—the important thing is to remain open to different opportunities that may be a good fit.
Which Therapies Help Members of the LGBTQIA2+ Community?
Individuals who identify as LGBTQIA2+ often face numerous addiction and other health challenges. Aligning with the right form of therapy often prompts tremendous possibilities for healing. While some of the options below might not be readily available in your local community, consult with one of the experts at Fair Oaks or search online for a qualified professional.
- LGBTQIA2+ affirmative. This approach is specifically tailored to address the unique needs and experiences of LGBTQIA2+ (also known as LGBTQ) individuals. Therapists are trained to create a safe and supportive environment where you can explore identity, experiences of discrimination, and any challenges related to addiction or mental health without fear of judgment.
- Culturally competent. Culturally competent therapists are knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues and sensitive to the challenges in society and within the healthcare system.
- Trauma-informed. Many LGBTQ individuals experience trauma related to discrimination, rejection, or violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Trauma-informed therapy acknowledges and addresses these experiences while providing support for addiction and mental illness recovery.
- Harm reduction. This approach focuses on reducing the negative consequences of substance use rather than promoting abstinence as the sole goal. Harm reduction therapy can be particularly beneficial for members of the LGBTQ community who may face additional barriers to accessing traditional addiction treatment services.
- Family. Family dynamics and relationships often play a significant role in addiction and recovery. LGBTQ-affirmative family therapy helps address relationship conflicts, improve communication, and provide support.
These types of counseling provide LGBTQ individuals with customized attention and resources to address addiction and mental health issues while also acknowledging and affirming their identities and experiences.
Find Balanced Care at Fair Oaks
Fair Oaks Recovery Center in Sacramento, California, is a licensed Chemical Dependency Recovery Hospital, a status granted by the California Department of Public Health to addiction rehabilitation and dual diagnosis treatment facilities that provide high-level acuity care. Our board-certified medical team provides treatment to adults suffering from substance abuse as well as co-occurring mental health disorders. The goal of our whole-person care approach is to treat the mind, body, and spirit. Call us today to learn how we can help you.
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