People enter counseling for a variety of reasons.  Most often we wait until our symptoms become severe or our life circumstances have become “out-of-control,” before we seek help.  That is not OK!   Emotional and mental health counselors and therapists agree with medical health professionals in that early detection and prevention is the best course of action for overall wellness.

To determine whether or not you would benefit from counseling--or an evaluation for counseling--ask yourself the following question:  Have I experienced any of the following for more days than not over the course of the past two to four weeks?

• depression or intense sadness
• frequent irritability or anger
• loss of a relationship or loved one
• low self-esteem or self-worth
• marital or other relationship conflict
• domestic violence (perpetrator or victim)
• work- or family-related stress
• loss of interest in life or decreased motivation
• poor focus and concentration
• worrying and fear
• alcohol, drug abuse or addiction
• people pleasing, codependency or family enmeshment
• conflicting thoughts and feelings or difficulty making a major life decision
• difficulty with a recent transition
• thoughts of suicide or occurrence of self injury
• unexplained behavior changes noticed by yourself or others
• panic attacks
• body image or eating disorders
• changes in sleeping or appetite
• persistent feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness

Note:  Only a professionally trained counselor or therapist can determine whether or not you may benefit from counseling.  Use your responses as a basis for seeking further feedback from a professional.