Mental Health Basics

Mental Health is a state of well-being (health) in which people can cope with the normal stresses of life, are able to have stable and loving relationships, can work productively alone and with others, have social involvement, and the ability to contribute to the community in which they live. Emotional health includes perceived life satisfaction, happiness, cheerfulness, peacefulness.

Psychological health includes self-acceptance, personal growth including openness to new experiences, optimism, hopefulness, having purpose in life, feeling generally in control of one’s environment, having a sense of spirituality, self-direction, and positive relationships.

Social health includes social acceptance, beliefs in the potential of people and society as a whole, personal self-worth and usefulness to society, and sense of community.

Mental health is associated with improved physical health, better relationships and increased social satisfaction.

Mental Illnesses include changes in thinking, mood, or behavior that cause distress and/or impaired functioning. Depression is the most common type of mental illness, affecting more than 26% of the U.S. adult population.

What is Counseling?

What is Mental Health Counseling?

Mental health counseling, also known as psychotherapy, is a shared effort between the counselor and the individual, family or couple. Professional counselors help consumers:

• Identify goals and solutions to problems which cause emotional upset or stress 
• Seek to improve communication, interaction, and coping skills
• Strengthen self-awareness, self-esteem and self-empowerment
• Promote behavior change and optimal mental and emotional health

The counseling process allows you examine the behaviors, thoughts and feelings that are causing difficulties in your life. With continued work in counseling, you can begin to address those issues, and learn to manage emotions, stresses and behaviors in healthy ways. This is a very empowering and rewarding result of counseling.

Why People go to Counseling

Why People Go To Counseling

People may see a counselor to resolve issues that result from a particular situation, such as the death of a loved one, divorce of parents, or the loss of a job. Other times, people may need to seek counseling to deal with issues that have been on-going problems, such as continued sadness or depression, substance abuse, anger, or feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. Whatever the reason, counseling can help a person deal with their feelings and resolve the problems causing emotional pain.

People seek counseling to resolve issues related to:

• Stress Management
• Depression
• Grief
• Anxiety
• Relationship problems
• Behavior problems at home, school or work
• Parenting difficulties
• Anger management
• Poor coping skills
• Family conflicts
• Addictive or destructive behaviors
• Sobriety maintenance

If you are experiencing any of these issues, and are not sure if you could benefit from counseling, please call a Great Day counselor for a screening. We will talk to you and help you decide what options are best for you.