Counseling

Definition:
- Counseling or Counselor: A behavioral health practitioner is a counselor, therapist, or other mental health professional that is specially trained to offer support for emotional distress and skills for better living. The aim is to promote wellness by motivating people to adopt healthier habits, make peace with difficult life changes, and regain a sense of balance and control.

My Experience: I believe that one of the most important things you can do for your self when dealing with a chronic illness is seeking support. I decided to speak with a Counselor. You need to share your feelings and anger with someone who is not close to you and can give you an unbiased perspective. It is so easy to get lost in your illness. So much is happening so fast and you have so many feelings about it that you have to find an outlet.

When you visit a counselor, you go into his/her office you sit down and then you are asked a million questions; you cry; you get angry and then you go home. It is pretty basic. I was looking for an outlet, someone to just listen to how I was feeling about the changes in my life without having to worry about how they felt about it or how what I was saying affected them. I was also looking for concrete tools to help myself through this process.

Would I do it again? Yes, I think it is extremely healthy and necessary when you are going through any kind of life crisis. Heck, I think it is necessary just to get through life in general. I found it difficult to continue because I was so sick, just getting dressed and getting in the car to go to the appointment was exhausting. Not to mention that the insurance only offered a certain network of doctors and they were 45 minutes away from my house. This is kind of the quandary that a person with a chronic illness faces. Too sick to help yourself but not sick enough to be hospitalized.