Counseling can be a life-changing, life-saving experience for teens and individuals of all ages, but it can be hard to sign up without knowing what counseling is really like. To give some insight on the process of therapy, we sat down with Lisa Neely, MA, LPCC-S, a licensed counselor in Central Ohio who has experience working with teens and young adults. Keep reading to learn more about what therapy is, expectations of privacy during counseling sessions, and how you can benefit from therapy.
Questions About the Therapy Experience
Q: What’s the difference between a therapist and a counselor?
A: You’ll find that the words therapist and counselor can be interchangeable and will depend on your mental health agency’s preferences and specialties as well as their licensure. You can always ask your therapist what their credentials and preferred title are. Similarly, the words counseling and therapy can both be used.
Q: How does the process of finding a counselor work?
A: The first step is to ask your insurance company for a list of for a list of agencies that provide counseling services, known as ‘providers’. (If you’re on your parents’ insurance, ask for their help in getting this information!) If you don’t have insurance, there are some providers that will charge you on a sliding scale based on your income. From there, you can narrow down the therapists’ specialization, such as anxiety and depression or LGBTQ issues, and your preferences, for example, if you prefer a male or female counselor. Depending on your reason for finding a counselor, you may want one that specializes in certain disorders. Once you’ve found a counselor who matches your preferences, you can set up your first appointment!
Q: What happens during a therapy appointment?
A: First, you will fill out paperwork about your mental health history to give the counselor a sense of what issues you are facing and what treatment you’ve received in the past. Once you are meeting with the therapist, they will use this paperwork to help determine what treatment you may need. The therapist will then ask questions to get to know you and learn more about your mental health needs. You and the counselor will then create a treatment plan together based on your needs and goals to work on at the following appointments.
Q: Where do I need to start? How will I know what to talk about?
A: Your counselor and your treatment plan will be the guide for what you discuss in therapy.
Q: Will there be homework?
A: Homework is on a case-by-case basis and can depend on the therapist’s or your preferences. Homework is only helpful if you’re willing to do the work!
Q: Will you tell my parents what I say in therapy?
A: Legally speaking, until you’re 18 you typically don’t have the right to confidentiality in therapy, however, counselors will often require your parents to agree to their confidentiality rules before treating you. You can ask your therapist what their confidentiality policy is at your first visit. Most often, therapists want you to view their office as a safe space and will have confidentiality policies in place. If the therapist believes that you are in danger or are a danger to others, they will be mandated by law to report their concerns to your parents as well as emergency services to keep you safe.
Q: How long will I keep coming to therapy?
A: Once again, the treatment plan will be the guide. When both you and the therapist have decided together that your goals had been met, you can agree to stop counseling or create a new treatment plan for new goals you would like to work on.
Q: What do I have to tell my therapist? Can I keep some things private?
A: You can absolutely keep some things private, but the more you open up to your counselor, the better they are able to help you. If they don’t know what’s going on in your mind, they won’t know the best way to help you.
Q: What if I don’t connect with the therapist? Can I see someone different?
A: Absolutely! You won’t hurt the therapist’s feelings if you decide they’re not the right fit, and they can likely refer you to someone who may be a better fit for you.
General Questions About Therapy
Q: Why do you think teens can benefit from counseling?
A: Everybody can benefit from counseling. Who wouldn’t want to get unbiased advice for all of their problems? Teens and young adults especially go through many changes and a therapist can help them navigate those changes.
Q: What are some common issues you are seeing in therapy?
A: Anxiety and depression are the main issues we’re seeing. The pandemic has amplified some of these problems since people have been more isolated.
Q: What issues can a counselor help someone work through?
A: In addition to helping manage mental health diagnoses, a counselor can help talk you through life changes and big decisions. They can be an unbiased sounding board for any problem you are working through.
Q: How does someone determine if they need therapy?
A: If you find yourself struggling day to day or you’re having major changes in your life, then therapy would be a good idea. If an issue (no matter how big or small) is causing disruption in your life, it would be worth it to seek out a therapist to work through it.
Ready to find a therapist? Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation has a list of resources for you to start your therapy journey.
Lisa Neely, MA, LPCC-S is a licensed counselor in Central Ohio that currently works with all ages. She has a Master’s Degree in Clinical and Pastoral Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary and has 15 years of experience, including extensive experience with troubled youth, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related issues.
Categories: Self-Care Resources