A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining better understanding of your authentic self, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to leverage them to accomplish your purpose

• Developing skills for improving relationship with self and other

• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy

• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety

• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures

• Improving communications skills

• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones

• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage

• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, disabled adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.

• Domestic abuse that children are being exposed to.

• If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threated to harm another person.

• Court order *Information requested by Uganda Police or the FBI.

• A client signing a Release of Information (ROI) to coordinate care between providers or outside parties

An associate is a therapist that is in the process of completing their hours for licensure and need to pass their licensing board exam. Any professional that is licensed has accrued 3,000 hours and passed their board exam. They also are required to complete continuing education each year. They cannot prescribe medication. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that can provide psychotherapy and prescribe or refill medication.
The following mental health professionals can provide counseling and with proper training, assessments; however, cannot prescribe medication:

Clinical Social Worker

A counselor with a master’s degree in social work from an accredited graduate program. Trained to make diagnoses, provide individual and group counseling, and provide case management and advocacy; usually found in the hospital setting.

Licensed Professional Counselor

A counselor with a master’s degree in psychology, counseling or a related field. Trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.

Mental Health Counselor

A counselor with a master’s degree and several years of supervised clinical work experience. Trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.

Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor

Counselor with specific clinical training in alcohol and drug abuse. Trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.

Nurse Psychotherapist

Registered nurse who is trained in the practice of psychiatric and mental health nursing. Trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.

Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety affect one in four people. But it’s still something that lots of people find hard to talk about, which can mean that many people keep their feelings about having a mental health problem a secret, even from close family and friends. You can’t always tell if someone has a mental illness – people might look as though they’re fine and doing well, when actually they’re silently struggling.

If someone has bipolar disorder, they may show significant mood swings, or appear more withdrawn if they are dealing with self-harm or negative thoughts, but everything is dependent on the individual and there is no one way to know whether someone is unwell.