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.
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.
Most people who feel lonely and/or socially isolated didn’t just wake up one day and realize how lonely they were. The truth is that if often just sneaks up on you. One day you have fulfilling relationships and you feel connected to the important people in your life and then before you know it, you’ve pulled away, they’ve moved away, or something has shifted that results in loneliness. If you are struggling with feelings of loneliness or social isolation, consider talking to a loneliness counselor at Thriveworks in Portland, ME.
Many People Feel Stuck When They’re Lonely
It’s normal for people to feel stuck when they’re lonely. Part of the problem is that it feels like such significant changes need to be made and it can seem impossible to get started. The idea of changing can seem insurmountable. This is even more true for people who’ve never felt long-term loneliness before. The good news is that there is a way out.
A Loneliness Counselor Can Help You Come Up with a Plan
Your counselor will take the time to understand you and your unique needs but often the first step is to get to the bottom of why you feel lonely. For some people it’s obvious. Perhaps they just moved and don’t know anyone in their location, they may be going through a divorce, or a loved one may have passed away.
For others, the reasons don’t seem obvious. They may have many relationships in their lives but they may not feel fulfilled by them anymore. As your counselor gets to know you they can recommend specific steps forward based on your unique needs.
Begin Loneliness Counseling at Thriveworks in Portland, ME
Once a plan is in place it’s easy to start off strong and then slowly stop following it. That’s one of the ways that having a counselor can be very rewarding. At Thriveworks Portland Counseling & Coaching, we can help keep you accountable. With regular sessions, you’ll remember the reasons you have the plan, how you can implement the plan, and the rewards you get when you follow through.
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