About Counseling

What Are The Benefits of Counseling?

The benefits to counseling are numerous, and immeasurable.  Our clients tell us counseling is “life-changing”, “difficult but worth it”, and “they wish they could convince friends and other family to consider”.

Some of the larger, more important benefits are:

• Peace
• Happiness
• Personal Growth
• Learning to identify and express emotions in healthy ways,
• Improved Relationships
• Resolved Differences with those that are important in your life
• Improved Parenting
• Improved Academic Performance
• Improved Behavior
• Less Worry
• Resolution to the Past

How Does Counseling Work / What Can People Expect?

Counseling is a process, and generally consists of three phases. This may look different for each client. That's the benefit of small, private practice - able to customize to fit the client's needs.

Beginning Phase of Counseling

This is where we paint the picture, and tell the story….typically lasting a couple of months, and  seen once a week during this phase for an hour or an hour and a half.

Once a client has recognized a need for help and has chosen a provider, then they are ready to do the harder work.  The first part of the process involves the story.  This is all about where you have been, and where are you now.  Some situations are very complicated and may take a few counseling sessions to explain what has gone on and share how they arrived where they are in their lives.  Others are less complicated and may take the first session to do so.  It all depends on the story and how many chapters there are in that book.  This part of counseling is what I call “unpacking” or “painting the picture” for the counselor.  At Lotus Group, we do not rush this part.  It is all important to us that we understand both where you have been and where you are before we begin to set goals about where to go.  As I write this, it seems a bit systematic, but it is not.  Each and every client we see has a different story to tell or paint for their counselor.  We do not pigeon-hole clients or put them into a box as they unpack the past and present for us.  We use what I would describe as a “customized” approach.  Just as all of us as individuals are unique and there is nobody in this world just like us, the same holds true for the counseling process at this stage.  No two stories or paintings are just alike.  Some may be similar, but no two are the same, and we customize our approach based on the uniqueness of the story or situations for each and every client.

Middle Phase of Counseling

This is where we set goals, work towards them, measure them…typically lasting a few weeks to a few months, and seen every two weeks or so.

Once clients put down their paint brushes and the counselor has a good sense of where clients have been and where they are, it is time to set specific goals focused on the primary issues, and do so in a way in which a client can measure their progress.  It is important to Lotus Group that a client accomplishes what they set out to in counseling, even if what they want or need has needed some clarification.  Often times clients don’t know how to even state or say what it is they want…..we help them clarify and define goals that are measurable so they have a real sense of accomplishing what they need and want.  If a client is not seeing advancement toward their goals, we assess if the problem is the client or the counselor.  Sometimes, clients are simply stuck.  Sometimes we have to reassess if the client is with the right counselor.  If needed, we consider placing the client with another counselor.  This is never a problem at Lotus Group.  In fact, we encourage clients to routinely assess if they are with the right counselor for them.  Lotus Group is built on the principal of making sure decisions are always made with the clients’ best interests in mind, not the counselors’ or Lotus Group’s.  Once goals are set, the heart of counseling begins….change.  At Lotus Group, you should expect change….in a good way.  We do.  We expect you to find what you are looking for in your life.  When goals start to get accomplished and change happens, that is when all of this work starts to look like it may be worth it.  When it looks like goals have been reached or soon will be, counseling slows down and the focus becomes staying on the path developed and maintaining the growth and change accomplished.

End / Maintenance Phase of Counseling

This is where our goals are accomplished or nearly completed, lasting a few months and seen once a month to maintain changes and complete goals……not an end, necessarily, but possibly and end to what brought a client into counseling.  Yet, even then, the relationship continues or at least is easily accessible to the client for any future needs.

As counseling nears and end, it is important to know, we are still here for whatever might come along for clients.  Often times clients come in for a “tune-up”, or with something new they are struggling with.  The long-term benefits to counseling come in the form of a professional relationship a client can maintain and call on when needed.  Clients know they will not have to start over and do so much “painting” or story-telling when they see a counselor who remembers their story.

What will Counseling Cost?

The all important decision about where to go for counseling is the next step.  There are some basic facts people should consider when deciding where to go for counseling help.  First, they need to accept the harsh reality that true quality counseling cannot be found “in-network”.  By in-network, I am referring to their insurance network.  Clients should wrestle with the hard truth that counseling is not unlike any other service or product…..you get what you pay for.  Considering out-of-network providers and choosing them for counseling or any other mental health services is always a wise choice, if one can afford to.  Fortunately, the additional cost to go out-of-network is not usually significant.  Typically, there is a 10-20% difference in cost to receive out-of-network services.  I believe you would consider it well worth it…..which is what our clients tell us.