Barriers to Counseling

Madison Drake, APC

“Counseling just is not as important as ____”, “It’s awkward telling a stranger my secrets.” “What if they’re secretly judging me?”
There are so many excuses for getting help.

Caring for your mental health goes a long way. When working with a trained counselor, you are able to unpack things in a safe environment that will create space for more life to exist. Processing emotions can sound intimidating, but once the fears are vocalized, they have the chance to be released. The brain is in control of our entire body, what we feed it matters. When emotions are processed, we are able to detach from the false ideas of self and regain an understanding of who we are. Most believe that counseling is just a place where you can talk about your problems, others believe that it is a waste of time. Counseling, as defined by Miriam-Webster, is the “professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data…” (Miriam-Webster, 2024). Through counseling, one is able to connect the dots in their story, to find the missing piece.
The things that happen to us are stored in our bodies. We may carry loads of stress in our shoulders and anxiety in our stomachs. Anger could be filling your mind, sadness can feel like an overwhelming burden, and fear can make us freeze right where we are, unable to move. Through counseling, one is guided through each topic and, with the right theory or technique, can begin to overcome the debilitating feeling they entered with. Some of the ways one can notice an emotional imbalance are: an elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, pain or muscle tension, extreme tiredness or fatigue, and a feeling of heaviness. These are just a few of the common ways unprocessed emotions can be seen in our daily lives. There are many other places, along with the physical, that one might notice an unprocessed emotion shows up. In the brain, logical thinking is skewed and the unknown emotion causes a reaction that was not ideal. Just like when hunger overtakes the body and craves nutrition, the brain is hungry for connection and craves the same.
Through the process of talking about mental health, one is able to make better decisions, and become more aware of their place in the world. Relationships could begin to make sense, self-esteem could grow producing the confidence one has been longing for. Navigating life transitions like a new job, transferring schools, or the death of someone close can get just a little bit easier to walk through when there is a helping hand guiding you through. The counseling process has no exact timeline, one just needs to show up. Working with a trained counselor may seem intimidating at first, but once you understand that their goal is the same as yours, and that they will work to their best ability to help, one will see that they have been capable all along.


“Counseling just is not as important as ____”, “It’s awkward telling a stranger my secrets.” “What if they’re secretly judging me?”
There are so many excuses for getting help
Some of the possible barriers to seeking counseling might sound familiar. The price is intimidating or the thought of sharing your hurt and reliving it with a stranger is scary. Maybe you are scared that once you start, your counselor is not the right fit. There are solutions to almost all problems; sliding scales can be offered, the weight you are used to carrying can be made light, and starting over with someone new could be the push in a different direction that you have been needing. The idea of seeking mental health might be seen as “weak” from family members, but you would not be expected to skip over going to the doctor for a broken bone. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and with the right helper, you can begin to create boundaries with those who believe that counseling is wrong. The judgment from friends when they find out you are seeking help might feel like it’s heavy to carry, but in the safe environment your counselor creates, you will be able to move through the fear and talk through the worry. With a trained professional, you will be able to leave your fears and doubts at the door and be welcomed with open arms. Your counselor will be there to help lead you and supply you with tools to navigate the hard conversations with those you love. They will also help you to see that you are worthy of the space you’re in, they will help you to understand what you are capable of, they will attempt to feed your brain the nutrients it needs and establish the connection it longs for, and they will encourage you to walk free. Your counselor is full of love and care for you, and they will do their best to help you feel the same.