If you’re seeking someone to help you understand and work through life’s challenges, it can be hard to know which way to turn. You’ll find psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, life coaches, counselors, analysts, social workers, spiritual advisors, and so many more. Some have professional training. Others just rented office space and hung up a sign. And within each category, there’s a broad range of personalities and styles of working with people.
Is one better than another? That’s not really for us to say. People are very different, and they respond to different types of approaches. It might take trying multiple approaches — and multiple practitioners — before finding someone who helps. Which one may be right for you? Only you can answer that question.
One advantage of turning to a counseling center like Care to Change is that we offer access to a group of professional counselors. If you go the Our Team page on our website, you’ll find photos and profiles of each of them. There’s a list of specialties such as “depression” and “family,” and when you click on the specialty that interests you, the counselors who focus on that area pop up. Or, when you call us to schedule your first appointment, we can talk about what you’re seeking in a counselor and give you recommendations.
Sometimes, a person and a counselor aren’t the right combination. If that’s the case, it’s okay to ask for another choice. In fact, a counselor may even say something like, “Now that we’ve talked, I think your needs might be better served by one of my colleagues.” Connecting you with the right counselor is very important to all of us, so our feelings won’t be hurt if you want to try someone else.
No matter which of our counselors you choose to work with, you can be assured of three things. First, all of our professionals are well-educated and well-trained. They’ve studied concepts in psychology and social work, how brain chemistry affects behavior, and how individuals typically interact with others in society. They’ve practiced treatment techniques under the close supervision of experienced professionals and gradually developed their own styles and specialties.
Second, all of our counselors use what are known as research or evidence-based approaches. That means they evaluate and treat people using only strategies that have been carefully researched and found to be effective. Finally, everything our counselors do is built upon a solid foundation of Biblical truth. We consider our work to be a calling and believe we are imitating Christ’s example of love and compassion when we help people find ways to live joy-filled lives of purpose. It doesn’t mean every person who comes to Care to Change has faith. It means that is how we build our own lives and service to others.
If you’re trying to find the right counselor for you or a loved one, please look through our website and then contact us. Our team will do our best to match you with the right person who can help you move forward.
Deb Kulchar is one of our Care Team Coordinators. She is often one the first person with whom you may talk to when scheduling an appointment with a therapist.
