Our Counseling Process

If you have not previously sought counseling, you may have certain apprehensions. People sometimes assume that their problems are relatively minor and can be solved alone, or with the help of friends & family. However, our counselors are trained to solve your problems, and will work with you to guide you to identify your problems and find reliable methods for improvement.

How Does the Counseling Process Help?

Formal counseling may allow you to feel more comfortable with sharing your emotions. Counseling allows you to be selfish in a way that may not be possible outside of a professional environment. Your counselor is interested in all of your concerns, and is willing to discuss any issue on your mind.

The topics discussed between you and your counselor must also remain confidential. We must guarantee full confidentiality in order for you to feel unrestricted in sharing your honest feelings, worries, and circumstances. Unless a person is a danger to themselves or others, our counsellors maintain a strict ethic of confidentiality.

Lastly, our counselors are professional. Counselors are highly educated, and experienced, and the counseling experience will generally follow a set of sign-posts that have proved to be effective in encouraging change and improvement.

Call 888-622-3345 to Schedule Your Same Day Consultation Today.

How Does Counseling Work?

You or your loved one may be seeking counseling for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to: depression, stress relief, crisis resolution, anger managementcouples counseling and many other reasons. Although the counseling process will be based directly on these problems, the outline of the counseling process is as follows:

  1. Initial Contact
  2. Relationship Building
  3. Problem Assessment
  4. Goal Setting
  5. Counseling Intervention
  6. Evaluation, Termination or Referral

Michigan Counseling Centers is open by appointment only, so the ideal way to get in contact with us is to call to speak with us or to leave a voicemail, or alternatively, you may contact us online, and we will be in touch with you during our soonest available office hours.

During our initial call with you, we can answer any questions you may have regarding scheduling an initial consultationinsurance coverage, cancellation policies, and any other questions you may have.

Based on our initial conversation, we may be able to immediately determine that we are or are not a good fit for you. In this situation, we will either schedule a time for you to visit our office, or refer you to a provider who may be of more help to your situation.

In both counseling and psychotherapy, the relationship between you and your counselor is an important part of achieving genuine results. The therapeutic process relies on a strong foundation in order to succeed.

Our counselors will work to understand and empathize with you, while providing helpful feedback that counters harmful behavior and prevents negative thoughts.

For most people who seek professional help, at least one problem is initially identifiable. People often seek counseling following a certain breaking point, such as an angry outburst or panic attack. This can serve as a problem to be accounted for, and avoided in the future.

Therapy aims to target mental disorders and cognitive differences that have turned into real-world problems. A counselor may diagnose a mental disorder, and use the therapeutic relationship to treat a condition.

A problem may also align with one of the following:

  • Your relationship feels strained, possibly from a lack of communication.
  • You feel intense feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • Your performance in work or school is becoming difficult
  • You feel constant worry regarding your relationships or circumstances

Although some of the problems listed above (ex: struggling with schoolwork), may be remedied on your own, it may be worthwhile to meet with a professional to determine whether your problem is one for concern.

Your goals will be based on the problems assessed by your counselor. Your goals will be both aspirational and realistic. Although our goals with mental health improvements are always aspirational, we must always choose realistic goals. It would be unrealistic to set a goal of feeling happy and fulfilled all of the time, because mood fluctuation is a normal experience.

During your initial sessions, you and your counselor will determine the short and long-term goals that will serve as milestones for your progress. If you find that you are not able to make progress towards these goals, you may choose to alter the frequency of treatment or method of your approach.

Counseling interventions will vary greatly between individuals. During the steps listed above, you and your counselor will have determined an approximate treatment plan. This treatment plan is likely to include tasks that you will complete between sessions. During sessions, your and your counselor will explore your problems through talking, which may also provide relief.

In the event that your problems seem to revolve around a particular relationship, the other person may be brought into sessions if it seems that this would be helpful.

The ultimate goal of therapy is closure. By opting in to treatment, you’re not committed to a lifestyle that always requires therapy. A good counselor’s goal is to help you understand the way your brain works, and equip you with a model of thought that will help you to make improvements.

When targeting specific symptoms, counseling or therapy can range from 8 to 25 sessions. The number of sessions for a normal patient will depend on frequency of appointments and severity of problems.

Complete the Counseling Process with Michigan Counseling Centers

Michigan Counseling Centers provides counseling services in Taylor, Michigan. If you are located nearby, schedule a consultation now to start the counseling process. Our office staff will help you schedule an appointment and answer any questions you may have. During your counseling sessions, our counselors will make sure that you are comfortable throughout the entire process.

Do you think Michigan Counseling Centers can help you or a loved one?