General Counseling Services

Common Questions about Counseling

So what is counseling like?

I get this question a lot. Counseling is a conversation. It is a time set aside for you. During a session, we will spend our time talking about what is important to you and try to understand how you experiencing your life...and if there are any changes you would like to make. I do not have a pre-conceived plan about your life. While I have specialized training about mental health and some ideas about how to address mental health, goals are really yours to identify.

Will I need to be in counseling forever?

You will be in counseling for as long as you believe it is helpful to you. For many people, 5-10 sessions are adequate to address the problems they want to address. Others choose to spend more time in counseling. Again, you are under no obligation to be in counseling for a certain amount of time or sessions. If the time comes where you feel you have reached your goals or if you want to take a break and return at a different time...it really is up to you.

Will you tell me what to do to address my problems?

I will never tell you what to do. Being a counselor means that I know strategies and techniques you may choose to work on problems such as being depressed or having too much anxiety, or even to cope with trauma, but a counselor will never tell you what to do. We, together, will find strategies that work for you.

Why are you a counselor? Do you think you can fix people?

I am a counselor because I believe that we all experience things in life where we need a supportive ear and a place that is safe to be, and I can do that. I do not believe that I can fix people or that they need fixing! I have spent my years of education to learn about the brain, the body, and the human experience and want to help others live their best life.

Below is some additional information about counseling and mental health.

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There's a time in most peoples lives when they could benefit from counseling! According to the CDC (2023), more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder in their lifetime. In fact, 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental health disorder this year (CDC, 2023). Dr. Rainey has a wealth of experience with the following common mental health difficulties:

Mood Disorders like depression and bi-polar disorder
Anxiety Disorders such as social anxiety and generalized anxiety
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Acute Stress
Personality Disorders

In addition, here are common situations that lead individuals into counseling services:

Workplace stress
Relationship distress
Difficulty with academics
Not getting along with others
Parenting difficulties
Substance use
Legal problems
Feeling isolated, anxious, and/or overwhelmed
Being victimized or harmed by others
Experiencing a traumatic situation
Effects of long covid or stress related to the pandemic

Dr. Rainey approaches the counseling relationship like a therapeutic alliance. General counseling for various mental health conditions is approached from a trauma-informed, cognitive-behavioral perspective. In this therapeutic alliance or relationship, Dr. Rainey helps individuals identify what problems they are experiencing, provides psychoeducation, assists in creating coping strategies, identifies possible solutions, and support her clients in achieving the highest level of happiness they can. If you would like some support as you navigate your mental health, call for a free consultation.

Calling to talk to a therapist can be pretty scary. We promise, this will be a counseling relationship that you can take one step at a time, that will become comfortable, and these may be just the steps leading to a happier and healthier you. Even if it's not Resilience Counseling, we encourage you to give therapy a try.

Center for Disease Control. (2023). About mental health.

https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=Mental%20illnesses%20are%20among%20the,some%20point%20in%20their%20lifetime.&text=1%20in%205%20Americans%20will,illness%20in%20a%20given%20year.

If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please go to your local emergency department. Contacting this website or emailing Dr. Rainey should not be considered an emergency intervention service. Website and email are not monitored 24/7. Your safety is very important and you should seek a crisis service.