Julie had always relied on her grandmother for emotional support. As a teenager, Julie had felt emotionally estranged from her parents and had even moved in with her grandmother for a few months when her dad kicked her out. Her grandmother had always been Julie’s biggest cheerleader and had been critical in helping her reach her academic, personal, and career goals. But now her grandmother was dying, and Julie felt unmoored. How could she manage her life without her grandmother’s daily reassurance and support? When she thought about losing this essential person in her life, her whole body felt sick, sometimes even nauseated. She didn’t know if she’d be able to handle the grief of her grandmother dying. What should she do?
Julie could benefit from seeing a licensed counselor at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi. The mental health providers at Thriveworks are trained to offer expert, compassionate support to those who are suffering from mental health or behavioral issues. Julie is experiencing the kind of psychological distress that a professional counselor at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi can help manage. A counselor can help Julie come up with novel, evidence-based ways to cope with adverse life events that are out of her control.
Are Therapists and Counselors the Same Thing?
Therapists and counselors are both umbrella terms that are often used interchangeably. But there are some differences. In the professional mental health field, therapists are licensed psychotherapists who use different modalities of talk therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), to help their clients. Licensed counselors also seek to improve their clients’ lives with talk therapy, but their course of treatment is usually shorter-term and solution-focused.
In addition to these two professional terms, you may encounter the following mental health providers at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi:
- Psychologists (PsyDs or PhDs), who provide psychotherapy treatment as counseling psychologists or clinical psychologists
- Psychiatrists (MDs), who provide psychotherapy and can prescribe psychotropic medications like antidepressants and mood stabilizers
- Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), who provide counseling and practical guidance with regard to local social services
- Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), who provide counseling to couples and families
All of the providers at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi are fully licensed and highly trained to help their clients achieve their goals in life.
How Do You Mentally Prepare for Your First Therapy Session?
At Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi, we understand that someone’s initial visit to a therapist can be intimidating. These days there’s very little stigma attached to seeing a therapist, but people can still hold negative internal misconceptions about the counseling process. It can be a psychological advantage when you know what to expect from your first sessions. The following tips can help get you mentally prepared for therapy:
- Think about your goals for therapy in advance. Your provider will probably ask you about your objectives in the first session. Then together you can design an optimal treatment plan that will work best for you.
- Try to reserve at least 10 minutes of unmolested time before and after your therapy sessions so you can use that space to prepare and reflect.
- Be patient. Some problems are more complex than others, and your counselor or therapist will want to have the best information in order to treat you. This requires time and close attention.
- Be open and nonjudgmental. Your therapist might try a range of approaches that may seem weird or unfamiliar. But rest assured that the highly trained mental health providers at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi know exactly what they’re doing, and have the research and evidence to back up their techniques.
- Bring your whole self to the sessions. Don’t be afraid to show different elements of your personality. Your therapist wants to know you as well as possible so they can give you support of the highest caliber.
Is Online Psychiatry Secure and Affordable at Thriveworks?
Online psychiatry services at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi are both secure and affordable. Our psychiatrists are all licensed doctors who have extensive training and many years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and helping to prevent mental health and behavioral conditions like anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Online sessions take place over an ultra-secure, HIPAA-compliant, telehealth connection that prioritizes patient privacy.
Make Your Appointment at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi
When you take the time today to call the trained staff at the Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi, you can be meeting with your counselor online or in person as early as tomorrow. As an added benefit, you can access your Thriveworks therapist by email or phone between sessions.
Call us today to find out about all our premium benefits at Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Corpus Christi. We can’t wait to help you find the mental health support you deserve.