Services for Indivduals, Couples, Families, and Groups - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

		How Do Counseling and Psychotherapy Differ?
		When Should You Seek Professional Help?

How Do Counseling and Psychotherapy Differ?

In the context of mental health, psychotherapy and counseling are words often used interchangeably, but they have subtle differences. Both methods of treatment function to alleviate distress in individuals.

		Counseling generally denotes a relatively brief treatment focused mostly on behavior related to a particular symptom. A professional offers suggestions and guidance for handling a client's short-term concerns.
		Psychotherapy is generally a longer-term treatment focused on gaining insight into chronic physical and/or emotional concerns. In psychotherapy, the client focuses on thought processes and ways of being in the world rather than specific problems.

When should You Seek Professional Help?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 25% of adults will experience depression or anxiety that professional treatment would help. How do you distinguish between normal challenges and serious distress? When do you need professional help? How do you feel? Your answers to the following questions will help you decide if you need professional help.

		Do you feel overwhelmed or trapped, with a prolonged sense of sadness, hopelessness, or apathy?
		Does the way you feel affect your sleep, eating habits, or ability to concentrate on school, work, and daily life?
		Do you worry much of the time and feel you cannot function alone?
		Do you respond to your problems and manage your emotions by harming yourself (substance abuse or eating disorders)?
		Do you respond to situations with excessive anger, hostility, or violent behavior?
		Do you have thoughts of suicide or want to harm yourself or others?
		Have you noticed a marked personality change?
		Do you experience chronic difficulty establishing and maintaining good relationships with others?
		Do you feel victimized by past painful events? Do memories that continue to trouble you interfere with daily life and relationships?
		Do you experience distressing, intrusive, repetitive thoughts that you feel unable to control?
		Do you experience frightening or bizarre thoughts, hallucinations, or extreme suspiciousness?
		Do you experience career concerns or identity confusion?
		Do you feel chronic or severe anxiety?

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