In counseling sessions traditional psychotherapies and alternative healing therapies are tailored to the unique needs of the individual to release blocked negative emotions and balance the physical body, thoughts, emotions and spirit.

Counseling sessions’ various areas of focus include: addictions, codependency, anxiety and depression, marriage/family counseling, divorce counseling, trauma/grief, healing physical illness, emotional awareness, personal development, career/life planning, and stress management/reduction.

Counselors have a broad range of experience in developing “helping relationships” and working with many different situations. In counseling sessions we look for what we find good in ourselves. The good can be used as a model for the things we would like to change. Counseling is a change (growth: healing) process in which people (individuals, groups, couples, and families) are helped. For those with a humanistic bent, the ultimate goal for counseling sessions is to help people to recognize and accept their own internal worth, i.e., to integrate their learned habits of thinking about themselves (their internal messages and images) and their learned behaviors (feelings, physical responses, and actions) to be congruent with who they really are in their essence (beautiful, loving people).

What you can expect from your counseling sessions: You can expect someone who is interested in listening to your concerns and in helping you develop a better understanding of them so that you may deal with them more easily and effectively. Your counselor will take you seriously and be willing to openly discuss anything you wish to discuss. Expect your counseling sessions to focus the session on you, and not on others. Because counselors have different beliefs about how people change, they differ on how much talking they do in counseling sessions, whether they ask you to do “homework,” and their focus of discussion. If you have any questions about what is going on, by all means ask. Counselors have no “magical” skills or knowledge, and will be unable to solve your problems directly for you. Your counselor will want to work with you, but won’t do for you what you are capable of doing for yourself. Your counseling sessions/counselor will maintain strict confidentiality about you, and will openly discuss this with you and your responsibilities in counseling sessions.

Your main responsibilities in counseling sessions are to attend your regularly scheduled sessions, talk about what is bothering you as openly and honestly as you can, and complete any tasks or “homework” assignments you may be asked to do. You are expected to let your counselor know if you are unable to make it to a counseling session.

Most counseling will require you to try something new or try a “different approach.” Another thing your counselor will expect is for you to be willing to experiment and try things without jumping to conclusions. You are also expected to let your counselor know when your problems have been solved as well as let your counselor know if you don’t feel like you’re making any progress. This latter point is most important: your counselor is most interested in your benefiting from counseling.

Deciding to seek counseling is the first step in change. Once this decision has been made, the mechanics for change have been set in motion. In the process of changing the way you think, feel, or behave, you usually must try out new ways of doing things. This can make you anxious or frustrated. Also, in the course of counseling sessions you may come to realize that things you once thought of only in a positive or negative way you may see a bit differently. The challenges of pushing on your limitations may also cause your frustrations, but with commitment and practice, you will find that you can stretch your limits and find new and exciting aspects of your self.

Tips on how to benefit from counseling sessions: Be ready to focus on a specific problem or issue. Be prepared for your sessions. Attend your sessions and take an active part in them. Complete (or at least attempt) any “homework.”

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment simply call (914) 500-3712 or fill out the short form above and we will be in touch with you ASAP. We are here to help and welcome your questions about how we can help you or, if nothing else, steer you in the right direction!

Counseling Sessions