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| Reasons for an Appointment |
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 Why Make an Appointment for Counseling
Counseling makes sense when you are having trouble coping with a stressful situation or solving a personal problem. If you feel quite distressed, overwhelmed by a problem, or you keep repeating the same mistakes with the same unhappy results, then getting professional counseling may make a lot of sense.
The following list includes some but not all of the reasons why people get counseling.
- You feel sad much of the time, despite your efforts to feel better.
- Tension, anxiety, or excessive worry is part of your everyday life.
- There are problems in your relationships with friends, family, or peers.
- Previous loses or abuse is causing you significant distress.
- You are unable to focus and perform well at work.
- The ways you are expressing anger are causing you problems.
- Thoughts of guilt, hopelessness or low self-esteem are persistent and intrusive.
- There have been changes in your usual behavior that are causing you and your loved ones problems: for example, you have increased your drinking, you have become more irritable, have more arguments, are becoming withdrawn from others, and/or have increased your drinking,.
- You have lost interest in activities you enjoyed in the past.
- A medical cause for headaches, fatigue or other aches and pains has been ruled-out by your physician.
- You want to better understand your emotions, behavior and relationships.
- You have frequent conflicts with people.
- You are having problems with alcohol, drugs, food, sex, shopping, or self-injury.
- You have been having thoughts about hurting yourself or someone else.
If you are experiencing any of the above, it is a good idea to make an appointment with a professional counselor.
How to Make an Appointment
To make an appointment for counseling, simply call (319) 398-3943 and tell the receptionist/scheduler that you would like to make an appointment for counseling. She will ask you for some basic information: for example, your name, address and a contact telephone number, whether you are covered by insurance or want an adjusted (sliding) fee arrangement, and she will ask for a very brief description of the basic reason you are calling for an appointment. She will then arrange a time for you to come in that is convenient for you, depending on the availability of counselors.
How Long Does Counseling Take
Generally, counseling is short-term. Most people experience significant relief from distress in several to a dozen sessions. Some, however, due to the complexity and longer-term duration of their problems, stay in therapy longer. Ultimately, the duration of treatment is a personal decision made on the basis of individual circumstances and goals.
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