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686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting loneliness counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Carelon, Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA), Cigna | Evernorth, +13 more
Anger, Behavioral Issues, Self Esteem, Stress, Women’s Issues, +6 more

As a long time therapist, my approach is client-centered and assumes that you have what you need inside of you to heal your wounds and reach a place o... As a long time therapist, my approach is client-centered and assumes that you have what you need inside of you to heal your wounds and reach a place of balance and peace. With this approach, it is important to look at attachments, where we place value, and gain skills to grow. We do that in a non-pathologizing, trauma-informed, and curious way. I am simply your guide in the process. Read more

23 more therapist available in South Carolina

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Starting Loneliness counseling

What is Loneliness counseling?

Loneliness counseling is a specialized form of therapy focused on helping individuals navigate the emotional challenges and isolation associated with persistent loneliness. Counselors and therapists at Thriveworks in Columbia, SC create a supportive and understanding environment where clients can delve into the root causes of their loneliness and develop strategies to establish meaningful social connections.

How does Loneliness counseling work?

Loneliness counseling employs a multifaceted approach, utilizing Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to reframe your negative thought patterns, enhance communication, and improve social skills. It also incorporates interpersonal therapy to address relationship patterns, and mindfulness practices to manage feelings of loneliness and self-criticism. Goal-setting is also encouraged to help you actively pursue social connections and community engagement. Through these techniques, loneliness therapy empowers individuals to overcome isolation, develop meaningful relationships, and enhance their overall emotional well-being.

Is Loneliness counseling conducted in person or online?

Thriveworks loneliness counseling in Columbia, SC is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does Loneliness counseling last?

Loneliness counseling can take different amounts of time. It depends on how lonely a person is and how they're doing in counseling. Normally, it involves many sessions that last from a few weeks to a few months. The exact number of sessions and how long it takes are determined with the loneliness counselor's input.

Need more help deciding?

Everyone is connected to everyone else these days. Instagram. Google Chat. Snapchat. FaceTime. Facebook. Twitter. With the press of a button on a smart phone or tablet, someone in Boston can see and speak to someone in Tokyo. But much like people can be in a room filled with people and still feel lonely, people can have access to technology and social media that allows them to connect while still feeling disconnected from people. In fact, research is showing that social media may be a lead contributor to loneliness people feel.

People may be sharing their selfies, but are they sharing themselves? Connecting with loved ones is not necessarily the same as interacting with them on social media. Deep connection occurs when people are known to each other—when friends know each other’s fears and doubts, when loved ones know each other’s hopes and dreams. Fighting loneliness means pursuing healthy relationships.

“Our uniqueness makes us special, makes perception valuable—but it can also make us lonely. This loneliness is different from being ‘alone’: You can be lonely even surrounded by people. The feeling I’m talking about stems from the sense that we can never fully share the truth of who we are. I experienced this acutely at an early age.” —Amy Tan

Within a healthy relationship, people share their truth, as author Amy Tan explains, and they are accepted for who they are. To fight their social isolation, many people are setting their tables and phones down, and they are tuning into their friends and family members. They are opening up about their own lives, and through these healthy connections, many are feeling less lonely.

If you are like most, you may be reading this and thinking, “well, I’m just not great with social skills.” That is an understandable thought, but the truth is that social skills are like any other skills—people can improve. Some may be naturally better than others, but everyone can do better. Many people are working with a counselor or coach to do just that—learn the social skills they need to build a deep community for themselves.

That is why Thriveworks Columbia offers counseling and coaching for loneliness—the isolation of modern life is not inevitable. We have worked with many clients who felts alone, but with intentional effort, they now have a network of support and care.

Building a Support Network

A skilled therapist can help people find the particular social skills they should cultivate and will help them the most. However, there are a few tips that can help almost all people as they are building up a support networks. Here are a few keys to having better relationships and feeling less lonely:

Key #1: Rethink Community.
Sometimes people do not see how much community they already have in their lives because they measure it by a preconceived standard that their current relationships do not fit. People may think of community as an idealistic Normal Rockwell cover for The Saturday Evening Post or according to their favorite sitcom. However, community is rarely that perfect. Today, people are rethinking community.

Having community does not necessarily mean living one’s life within the same small town. People are defining communities in ways that work for them. For some, that means joining an adult volleyball team, a book club, or a religious group. For others, it means volunteering at a local pet shelter or as a youth soccer coach. Community can be anything, so long as people feel connected and known.

Community can be anything, and it can be found anywhere. Many people still find meaningful connection in those small towns. Others enjoy the bustle of a city where they know their favorite corner store is open 24/7. Others wants the rhythm of a suburban life. Deep community can be found online as well, when intentionally pursued.

Key #2: Pursue Inner-Circle Friends.
Healthy community means having all different kinds of relationships—some deeper than others. Acquaintances are the easier type of relationships to build. They are usually built upon convenience, but they also dissolve easily. People also need deeper relationships—they need inner-circle friends. These friends are the people to call to share a success or a disappointment, and they return the favor. These friendships last through life’s challenges and changes. Inner circles friends…

  1. Interact with each other outside of the original context where they met. You may have connected with this first at work or through the Parent Teacher Organization, but inner-circle friends move beyond convenience and support each other in different contexts.
  2. Can ditch poker night or the manicure when one or the other needs to talk. They can just be together with no other activities.
  3. Trust each other with their true selves. When people go through a divorce or receive a promotion at work, their inner-circle friends will know about it.

Counseling for Isolation at Thriveworks Columbia

Are you ready to learn more about building community and conquering loneliness? Anyone can establish a strong support network, and many people are working with a counselor or a coach to learn how. Thriveworks Columbia has appointments available for fighting loneliness and building community.

At our office, we make evening and weekend appointments available, and we accept most insurance plans. When you first call to schedule a session, you may be meeting with your therapist the following day. We do not keep a waitlist. Our hope is that every client who wants more community in their lives will received the help they need when they need it. Contact Thriveworks Columbia today.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Columbia therapists and counselors accept 21 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina | BCBS

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina Medicare Advantage

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA)

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

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Self-pay costs at Columbia
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.9 Thriveworks Columbia reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★
Everyone is very nice and are really easy to talk to!
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Debbie has helped me effectively manage the stress in my current work environment. She has also provided me with practical real-life applications to help me work toward my immediate and long-term goals. I am fortunate to have Debbie as a therapist!
Read more Debbie has helped me effectively manage the stress in my current work environment. She has also provided me with practical real-life applications to help me work toward my immediate and long-term goals. I am fortunate to have Debbie as a therapist!
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Debbie is such an amazing person to talk to and she helped me through so much in the past year. She has helped me to understand myself and work through my problems. Absolutely amazing :)
Read more Debbie is such an amazing person to talk to and she helped me through so much in the past year. She has helped me to understand myself and work through my problems. Absolutely amazing :)
Columbia, SC Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Mrs. Anna Gantt-Gordon has an exceptional personality and attitude in working with clients. She goes the extra mile to advocate and encourages others. Great to work with.
Read more Mrs. Anna Gantt-Gordon has an exceptional personality and attitude in working with clients. She goes the extra mile to advocate and encourages others. Great to work with.
Columbia, SC Aug 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I highly recommend Thriveworks! The service from the faculty is surperb from the front office to the life coaches & counselors!! I have been going to Thriveworks for 3 years now and, I absolutely love it! They don't treat you like a number like the other places do! If you or someone you know needs couciling then call Thriveworks Mon-Sat! Yes, I said Saturday! They will help you in anyway they can to make you see the light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you Thriveworks for all of the services y'all have provided me with and still do! Without of all of you I don't know where I would be today!
Read more I highly recommend Thriveworks! The service from the faculty is surperb from the front office to the life coaches & counselors!! I have been going to Thriveworks for 3 years now and, I absolutely love it! They don't treat you like a number like the other places do! If you or someone you know needs couciling then call Thriveworks Mon-Sat! Yes, I said Saturday! They will help you in anyway they can to make you see the light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you Thriveworks for all of the services y'all have provided me with and still do! Without of all of you I don't know where I would be today!
Columbia, SC Mar 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
From the moment I first walked through the doors, I have been treated with respect, and care. I feel so at ease with all the people I have met there. I cannot recommend this team of mental health care providers enough!
Read more From the moment I first walked through the doors, I have been treated with respect, and care. I feel so at ease with all the people I have met there. I cannot recommend this team of mental health care providers enough!
Columbia, SC Nov 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I was having a hard time with my partner and was ready to give up, but we took a chance after some research and found the help we really needed. Sometime you need someone to sit, listen, and guide you. Thank You!
Read more I was having a hard time with my partner and was ready to give up, but we took a chance after some research and found the help we really needed. Sometime you need someone to sit, listen, and guide you. Thank You!
Columbia, SC Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
It was difficult asking for help, but the staff and therapist ensured that I was comfortable and made it the best decision. I plan to continue going again.
Read more It was difficult asking for help, but the staff and therapist ensured that I was comfortable and made it the best decision. I plan to continue going again.
Columbia, SC Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Columbia is right next to Boyd Plaza, and in a shared office building with TD Bank. We are at the corner of Main and Hampton Street, across the street from Wells Fargo.

Phone number

(803) 882-3401

Languages spoken by SC providers

  • English
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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