Does Counseling work?

In a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports, they examined the affect of therapeutic counseling on individuals and marriages. Of the 4000 therapy clients who responded, nearly 90% reported they were managing themselves better, resolving conflict, and living a more fulfilling life. Those individuals who reported the most pain and discomfort at the beginning of counseling reported the most improvement and satisfaction from the therapy.

This study also showed that counseling that lasted 12 weeks or longer was significantly more effective than shorter-term therapies. 

In the last century experiential evidence has overwhelmingly shown the need for counseling in our society. Health professionals have documented case after case where mental and emotional stresses were courageously overcome, broken relationships were repaired, and individuals, struggling with emotional pain, found a new level of peace and wholeness. 

Do you offer counseling via video?

Yes. Any counseling session can be done through an in-person session or via Zoom. If you’d like to set up a video appointment, but are unsure about how to get started, just give us a call or send us a text message (972-832-9788) and we can walk you through how to get your computer up and running. It’s easier than you might think!

What will my financial responsibility entail at Healthy Homes Counseling?

Healthy Homes is a Christian ministry that works through a faith-based principle. We have a donor base of families that support our ministry monthly. This allows our clients to forgo our $185 an hour counseling fee and pay a reduced rate of $150 an hour. 

This takes some headache out of the insurance equation. This eliminates the paperwork, “out of network” struggles and the almost always limitations of insurance carriers’ (company’s) plan on extended counseling needs. We try to work with all of our clients to make sure that financial help is given so they get the counseling they need.

how long will i need to be in counseling?

Emotional and mental news vary among individuals. There is no easy way to answer this question. In general, short term therapy is usually best suited for individuals who are working toward a certain goal, giving up unwanted habits such as smoking, overeating, etc. Sometimes adjusting to a career change or resolving conflict between friends or an employee can take less time. The duration of this time can be 6 to 12 weeks.

Sometimes marriage counseling takes longer because of the emotional issues that needs to be healed and reconciled. Much is determined by a couple’s willingness to courageously look at the emotional issues they struggle with in their lives. Often we find that in a 12 week scenario, we can bring healing and strength to individuals and marriages.

We work to understand where emotional conflict and unwanted behaviors originated. At times, deep-seated problems exist and require a longer period of time to discover their origins. Depression can bring emptiness and a lack of passion to one’s daily life it can slowly erode intimate relationships. If not exposed and treated.

Every client should discover their full identity and self-worth and take the time to work through the key trauma points in their lives. This provides a fulfilling life for our client and those around them. 

In a few sessions, the counselor can make a solid decision concerning the treatment plan and recommend several options to their clients.

how often should i come?

There are no ready-made answers and individual needs widely vary in the uniqueness of their personal struggle and financial resources.

The general rule sees a client coming once a week for a 55-minute session. Less frequent meetings can still be effective, but the regular weekly meeting schedule brings great momentum and change to our clients.

how can i measure my progress in counseling?

The first sign of progress often is a new awareness of unhealthy behavior patterns and how we get stuck in them. This brings encouragement and hope to the client. Once harmful habits are identified, real transformation can begin to take place. 

In time, as a client sees the cause and effect of these habits, the individual is able to make concrete changes and let go of the old destructive patterns. All of us have a personal belief system. Truths and lies have been recorded through the years. When lies are replaced with truth in our hearts, then radical breakthrough takes place.

what if i don't share the same belief system as my counselor?

Every client brings in significant differences in his/her life to that of the therapist. A trained counselor works with all kinds of individuals from widely varying backgrounds. The sharing of specific beliefs or circumstances is not near as important as an understanding of how these beliefs and background factors directly and indirectly impact the happiness, peace, and fulfillment of the client.  

At the heart of a counselor is the integrity to respect every persons own journey and personal convictions in life.