There are many reasons why psychological counseling may not work for you, including the counselor you choose, the scope of psychological counseling they specialize in, and their relationship with you, which will all affect the effectiveness of psychological counseling. Additionally, you may not be ready for counseling.
Some common misconceptions about counseling are that your counselor should help you solve everything, or that counseling is a panacea. In fact, this is not the case. Psychological counseling is a collaborative process. Psychological counselors guide clients to change their emotions, cognitions and lives.
Understanding the purpose of counseling and each person's role in counseling may help you get the support you need.
Next, Professor Rong Xinqi, a new concept psychology expert, will talk to you about "6 reasons why psychological counseling may not work."
1. You and your psychological counselor are not suitable.
If you and your psychological counselor are not suitable or matched, then this psychological counseling may not work for you.
So, you may ask: "How can I tell whether a psychological counselor has enough experience and skills to solve my problem?" If you don't know, you can take the initiative to ask about the training and experience they have received, and whether they have treated Visitors with similar problems.
A 2021 study of 218 adults showed that when researchers matched clients with counselors who had a proven track record of counseling their major issues, counseling outcomes were positive.
2. You may not be ready for psychological counseling
Psychological counseling requires cooperation between the counselor and the client. While it's not a counselor's job to help you solve your problems, a counselor often teaches you skills or makes suggestions that may help you achieve your goals.
You may have difficulty opening up to do this work, or you may feel that your counselor is misleading you, or even that they are "hurting you." These are not conducive to the progress of psychological counseling.
Try to keep an open mind and consider speaking with your counselor to determine your role in counseling.
3. You don’t trust your counselor
Counselors often provide non-judgmental advice during the consultation process. If you don't trust your counselor, then you probably don't have a strong counseling relationship yet.
Trusting your counselor means being honest and sincere with them in counseling. If you don't develop a rapport and trust with your counselor, counseling becomes more challenging.
Of course, the counselor must keep what you say in counseling confidential unless you:
may cause harm to yourself or others;
say anything that makes the counselor suspect abuse of a child, the elderly, or a protected person matter;
has committed illegal crimes;
actively consented to the counselor disseminating your information to the outside world;
is a minor, and your parents have the right to know about your psychological counseling situation.
4. You have misunderstandings about psychological counseling
If you have misunderstandings about psychological counseling, you may resist psychological counseling, and you may also feel that you do not get what you need from psychological counseling.
If this is your first time receiving psychological counseling, it may be a little scary because you don't know how the process works. However, a professional psychological counselor should tell you what psychological counseling is, how it works, and answer some of your doubts and misunderstandings about psychological counseling.
5. Your counselor has crossed a boundary
If your counselor has crossed an ethical and professional boundary, it may mean that the counseling has failed. Counselors have ethical and professional boundaries that they must abide by.
Some signs that your counselor may have crossed a line include trying to have a sexual or relationship with you outside of the counseling relationship, or using their power to exploit you.
The above are some examples of boundary violations that can cause significant harm and interfere with your counselor's ability to remain objective. Some boundary violations may also be illegal and may have significant consequences for you.
6. Your counselor is unethical
Similar to boundary violations, your counselor may display unethical behavior that causes harm.
Some examples of unethical counselor behavior include:
fabricating professional credentials or relevant academic credentials;
practicing outside their scope of practice;
violating confidentiality;
abandoning their clients, etc.
Dealing with unethical counselor behavior can look different depending on the situation. Some behaviors may need to be discussed with your counselor, while other behaviors may need to be reported to a specialized department or association.
If counseling doesn't work for you, you don't have to continue in situations that make you uncomfortable. Making changes that are relevant to the situation can help you resolve the problem and may help you get what you need from the counseling session.
If you are a visitor, you can try:
Ask a question to a psychological counselor;
Express your feelings honestly and decisively;
Ask for a referral to another psychological counselor;
Find another psychological counselor on your own;
Ask the corresponding counselor Department reports, etc.
If you are a psychological counselor, you can try:
seek psychological counseling;
work with your clients to re-evaluate goals;
improve your skills and experience;
work closely with your clients, etc.
