– Finding Help Through Counseling Services in Nashville TN

Last Updated on October 8, 2014 by Chris Roberts

FINDING HELP THROUGH COUNSELING SERVICES IN NASHVILLE TN

It always takes tremendous courage to reach out to counseling services in Nashville TN. Where does one start? Do you ask a friend? That can be too vulnerable. Do you ask your pastor? That can shift perceptions of you. Do you search on the internet? How do you trust the reliability of the information? At some point, our discomfort becomes greater than our fear, and we make the call or send the email to a therapist. After we set up an appointment, we have to bear the awkwardness of the first meeting. Where do we park? Where do we sit? Where do I begin to tell the story of my life? All of these questions and more make it so very difficult to enter into the counseling relationship with a therapist.

Most counselors understand these hesitations and work to make these first experiences as pleasant as possible. Most therapists are keenly aware of the courage it takes to begin counseling services in Nashville, TN and are already pulling for you! Just to walk in the door for the first time is a monumental step towards freedom from whatever you might be suffering from!

HOW DOES ONE START COUNSELING SERVICES IN NASHVILLE TN?

Every therapist has their own modality for beginning a first session. In my sessions, I simply want the client to talk about why they decided to come to the appointment. There is usually a precipitating event that lead them to overcome their fear and give counseling a try. Some clients are too uncomfortable in the new setting to even know where to start. In these cases, I can ask some open-ended questions that help a person settle in and begin talking. Typically, when a person begins talking, their nerves settle down and they can get start to remember what they are hoping for through counseling. As a person begins talking about why they came or what they want to accomplish through counseling, they can experience some sense of relief that all that is needed from them is to simply talk. Just talk. When we talk, we connect. And as we connect, we can settle in.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM THERE?

Counseling is about helping people learn to empower themselves to take on the challenges of life with integrity and honesty. We are all born with an innate tendency to flee from pain and heartache. This is a normal and natural thing. Sometimes, however, we create a pattern of hiding from the important parts of life, because we are so scared of being hurt again.   We have all been hurt, either intentionally or unintentionally. We all create certain patterns for dealing with the disappointments of life. As we awaken to the possibilities of what we might be missing in life, we can more accurately assess how our protectionism patterns are keeping us from the things we want most. This dilemma: being scared to try again versus the hope of a better life, is at the heart of all counseling. There are times in our life where just trying harder won’t work anymore. We need to learn new strategies for facing the difficult areas in our life. We need to be reminded of the beauty that life has to offer.

Counseling services in Nashville, TN serve to help people live a healthier and happier life. If you are looking for a counselor in the Nashville area, Chris Roberts would be happy to answer any questions you might have and point you in the most helpful direction possible.