How Can A Behavioral Health Counselor Help Me?
Behavioral health can be as important as physical health, and studies have found a significant mind-body connection including the concept of marriage cognitive dissonance, which can affect both mental and physical well-being. For this reason, healthy behaviors like exercising, eating well, and keeping a routine can keep your body physically well.
Although mental health stigmas can make it seem that counseling is only for the most severe symptoms, that’s not the case, and outlooks are changing. One report found that 41.7 million Americans saw a therapist in 2021. You can see a behavioral health counselor for any reason, and they can often act as a guide as you navigate your life.
What is a behavioral therapist?
A behavioral therapist is a professional who has undergone rigorous education and training to help support individuals with mental health issues. They often work in clinical settings and have licensing requirements set by the state and national board to ensure they offer quality health care. Their education typically includes understanding human behaviors, substance abuse, and other health issues that may affect a person's well-being.
These therapists may have a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or psychology, which can enable them to provide support to those facing various challenges like abuse or addiction. Certified counselors with clinical experience are especially qualified to manage complex mental health concerns. As behavioral health counselors, their role is not only to guide but also to educate their clients through various tools and resources.
Whether you see a behavioral health counselor is up to you. However, understanding the basics of behavioral health counseling and the common benefits of therapy may help you make an informed decision on your healthcare.
What can behavioral counseling offer support with?
From mental health challenges and medication management to substance abuse and more, there are various reasons individuals might reach out to a behavioral health counselor. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mental health counselors held 351,000 jobs in 202, and behavioral health counseling is on the rise. Below are a few common motives for seeking behavioral health counseling.
Depressive symptoms
Almost 300 million people worldwide are diagnosed with a depressive disorder. For that reason, mental health counseling with a mental health professional often addresses common symptoms of depression. If you are experiencing depressive symptoms, with or without a diagnosis of depression, you may benefit from discussing these with a trained mental health counselor.
Although you can also reach out to a psychiatrist for medication management for symptoms of depression, many clients choose to meet with a psychiatrist and a therapist to ensure a complete analysis of their symptoms. In addition, having the support of a licensed professional may help you feel less alone in your mental health experiences.
Anxiety and panic attacks
Anxiety disorders can also benefit from behavioral counseling with a licensed professional counselor, and there are various types of therapy suited to treating them, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP).
Anxiety disorders include but are not limited to panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder. Feelings of anxiety can be tough to cope with because they can take away an individual’s sense of safety. If you experience panic attacks associated with panic disorder, you might also experience distressing physical sensations.
Suppose you feel like your anxiety drives your behavior. In that case, a licensed mental health counselor or family therapist can help you develop a treatment plan and learn new coping mechanisms, such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, or creative activities. Addressing anxiety symptoms before they affect your life negatively can also be beneficial. Sometimes, mental health counselors work to address social, professional, and educational challenges, too.
Some behavioral therapists also utilize worksheets and at-home practices to help those with anxiety understand their symptoms with outpatient mental health treatment. Targeting your behaviors can help you make actionable changes regardless of the type of therapy you try.
Substance use
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources.
Many mental health counselors have training in substance use disorders and symptoms of addiction. Although dependency is chemical and can physically change your brain, it can come with behaviors many clients want to change. Substance use counseling can also target repairing relationships, choosing rehabilitation, or staying sober.
Counseling may also help you understand the motives and mental health issues you may have behind your substance use. Understanding why you turn to certain habits can help you learn how to break them. Although addiction is not your fault, support is available, and behavioral counselors can help you develop a plan when you’re ready.
Substance use can also feel isolating for many. If you feel lonely or withdrawn from friends and family, talking to mental health professionals can help you feel heard and valued. If you hope to repair relationships, you can also talk to a substance use counselor or other mental health professionals with your family or partner through marriage and family therapy or couples therapy sessions.
The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) also offers educational classes and support groups for individuals with mental health concerns or substance use disorders. Other popular substance use support groups and community health centers may also be available in your area.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are common, and it is estimated that 50% to 75% of those with an eating disorder are also diagnosed with depression. Whether you’ve been diagnosed or not, if you’re struggling with body image, restrictive eating, binging, purging, or another food-related symptom, it may be beneficial to talk to a behavioral health counselor.
Regardless of the cause of your eating disorder or distressing symptoms, a behavioral health counselor can help you with behavioral techniques to change your relationship with food or your body. For example, they might lead you to a guided journaling prompt where you write to the voice in your head that you might hear when you partake in disordered eating behaviors. They can also help you challenge self-beliefs through positive affirmations and critical thinking.
Counseling options
There are various options for behavioral health counseling available. Many people may talk to their primary care physician to get a referral for mental health services. Others might search online for behavioral health counselors. who may have backgrounds in social work. However, you can also join an online platform that matches you to a professional based on your symptoms, preferences, and concerns.
Online counseling allows you to seek out a counselor from the comfort of your own home in a discreet manner. It can also be more affordable than their own practice, in-person counseling, which often ranges from $100 to $200 a session. In contrast, online therapy may cost about $65 to $90 a session.
A recent study on internet mindfulness-based CBT found that online therapy reduced psychological distress in those experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety and improved the emotional control skills of those individuals. These impacts are similar to previous research on the effectiveness of in-person therapy, showing online treatment can be beneficial to clients.
If you’re interested in signing up for an online therapy platform, consider a website like BetterHelp, which offers therapists trained in various modalities. You can also find behavioral therapists or those who are experienced in other types of behavioral disorders or mental illness counseling.
Takeaway
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are several frequently asked questions on the topic of behavioral health and therapy.
Is Counseling Considered Behavioral Health?
Mental and behavioral health are often used interchangeably to describe services a licensed mental health professional offers. Behavioral healthcare may include physical habits like avoiding caffeine, eating healthy foods, and getting enough exercise. Behavioral health also includes your mental habits and thought processes, as well as the behaviors you partake in.
A mental health counselor can encourage you to make healthy choices and teach you ways to care for your mental well-being. They use talk therapy and other techniques to help you challenge unwanted behaviors and target symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other concerns.
Should I See A Psychologist Or A Counselor?
Counselors and psychologists often offer the same services. However, a psychologist may have a doctorate instead of a master’s degree. Counselors and psychologists are both trained in providing various methods of psychotherapy. If you have a diagnosed mental illness or are looking for psychological testing, you may benefit most from a psychologist.
How Do You Know If A Therapist Is Right For You?
When choosing your mental health professional, consider their credentials, specialties, and the symptoms you want to address. Try to find a mental health counselor that matches your preferences.
After having one or two initial sessions with the therapist, ask yourself questions to consider how you feel. Do you feel comfortable with them? Is the mental health professional providing helpful advice? Do they seem knowledgeable, caring, and supportive? Are they providing insight into your unique situation? If you feel your counselor fits your needs, they may be a suitable match. If not, consider switching therapists.
Can Therapists Hug Their Clients?
Therapists may not choose to hug their clients due to the ethical standards they must follow. If a therapist does hug a client, it may be a personal decision with consent from the client involved. However, physical contact between a mental health professional and a client may cause problems. The therapist cannot be sure that the client will not use it against them or that it could be misconstrued as a romantic gesture, even if it isn’t.
Instead, a counselor might suggest that you hug a friend or family or play with your pet. Physical affection can be healing but is not a part of therapy. If you feel your therapist is crossing physical boundaries, you can also report them to your state board for ethical violations.
What Should You Tell Your Therapist At Your Initial Consultation?
You can talk about anything with your therapist at your first appointment. However, there are several suggestions to keep in mind, including:
Discuss why you decided to attend therapy, including any symptoms or significant life events.
Tell them if you have been diagnosed with a mental illness in the past.
Let them know if you are interested in a specific type of therapy and if you’re flexible on trying other types.
Talk to them about your living situation, family, partner, or friends.
Talk about the goals you have for therapy.
Discuss any concerns you have with substance use.
Your therapist might also ask you questions and try to get to know you based on their treatment plans.
What Will My First Therapy Session Be Like?
The first therapy session with a licensed professional counselor is an intake session where you and the provider get to know each other in a professional environment. They might ask questions about your personality, family and medical history, and the mental health concerns that prompted you to seek their support. At times, a therapist or client will decide the connection is not a proper fit. In this case, the therapist might refer you to someone else.
What Happens In A Counseling Session?
Whether you’re seeing a clinical social worker, a psychologist, or any type of counselor, what happens in mental health counseling can depend on several factors. Often, counselors will specialize in a specific type of therapy, symptom, or method. Ask your counselor what approach they take in your first sessions.
In addition, your symptoms can change the approach to therapy. For instance, your session might include an exposure therapy exercise if you have a phobia. However, if you struggle with substance use, you might discuss causes, interpersonal conflicts, work issues, and creating a substance-free life.
Often, counseling can look like the following steps:
Getting to know facts about the client and their symptoms
Identifying mental health conditions or areas of growth
Considering emotional and relationship issues
Talking through each concern
Allowing the client to express their feelings
Teaching techniques to minimize the client’s symptoms and improve their life
Meeting goals
Creating strategies for coping independently
Ending therapy
Can A Therapist Diagnose Mental Illness?
Many therapists choose a formal diagnosis to send to your insurance company if you pay for your session with insurance. However, many therapists do not communicate the diagnosis with their clients. For those paying out-of-pocket for in-person therapy, it is a therapist’s choice whether they diagnose mental illness.
Official diagnostic testing, like neuropsychological testing, is often only completed by a psychologist or psychiatrist due to their higher level of education. In addition, online platforms like BetterHelp cannot allow providers to give diagnoses.
What Type Of Doctor Is A Therapist?
A therapist is not a medical doctor, as they do not have an MD. Many therapists have a Ph.D. or PsyD degree, which is a doctorate. However, these degrees do not include medical school or training. The only doctor of mental health is a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists attend medical school and complete medical residency in a hospital or treatment center.
In a general sense, therapists may be considered a “doctor” of mental health, as they offer mental health treatment, guidance, and support, which can ease symptoms of mental illness. However, they do not offer physical medical services like medication management or blood testing.
What Are The Three Types Of Therapy?
There are five general approaches to therapy, according to the American Psychological Association. They are:
Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies
Behavioral therapy
Cognitive therapy
Humanistic therapy
Integrative and holistic therapy
Some therapists use one of these approaches. Others take an eclectic approach, drawing from more than one type. Within these approaches, there are over 400 types of therapy. A few modalities include animal-assisted therapy, CBT, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), person-centered therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and exposure and response prevention (ERP).
What Are Three General Methods Used To Treat Mental Health Conditions?
There are three general methods for treating mental illness or symptoms, including the following:
Psychotherapy
Medications
Complementary and alternative therapies, such as herbal remedies, expressive therapy, and others
Support groups and 12-step programs might also be utilized. 12-step programs are substance use support groups. Some forms of therapy happen in inpatient facilities. Others are outpatient mental health treatments, including at counseling offices, hospitals, community health programs, or virtually through online counseling platforms.
What Do Behavioral Counselors Do?
Behavioral counselors use proven psychological techniques to help clients address unwanted behaviors, thoughts, or beliefs. A mental health counselor provides various types of talk therapy, allowing you to discuss, evaluate, make decisions, and come to terms with your symptoms. Some behavioral counselors work with couples, such as marriage and family therapists.
Where Do Mental Health Counselors Make The Most Money?
A licensed professional may make the most money in New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, according to US News. Some counselors specialize in a particular behavioral disorder, such as borderline personality disorder, and may gain more due to their expertise.
The median wage details shows therapists make around $48,000 annually, with some making up to six figures. A licensed psychiatrist has a doctorate to provide medication management and mental health support and can make over $200,000 annually. A licensed clinical social worker makes up to $87,000, and family therapists make around $37,000 annually.
Is It Better To Be A Therapist Or A Counselor?
Deciding to be a therapist or counselor can be a matter of preference. As the terms are often used interchangeably, you can offer the same services with both titles. However, therapists may have a doctorate, which can increase their salary.
How Do I Become A Counselor Without A Degree?
Counselors must have a master’s degree to practice therapy and receive a license. After your first four years of studying for a bachelor’s degree, you may attend one to two more years to get your master’s degree. If you do not want to become a licensed counselor but want to work in mental health, you have other options. In that case, you might be able to get a job as a support group leader, group home support worker, case manager, or another mental health worker with a bachelor’s degree or less.
What Is The Highest Paid Counseling Job?
According to Indeed, the highest-paying counseling job is a clinical psychologist. Other mental health professionals may make less.
How Do You Become A Behavioral Counselor?
A behavioral counselor must have a master’s degree or higher in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field. They might also have a doctorate. Before getting a license, behavioral counselors may undergo clinical hours with supervision and take a licensing exam.
Is Behavioral Therapy A Lucrative Career?
Mental health counselors held over 300,000 jobs in 2022, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counseling jobs may continue to be in demand as mental health stigmas decrease, so deciding to pursue an education in mental health can be beneficial.
What Skills Do You Need To Work In Behavioral Health?
Counselors work with sensitive populations experiencing various symptoms. For this reason, therapists are often required to show empathy and utilize active listening. Social skills, communication skills, and critical thinking may also offer benefits. Counselors may also need to be organized, professional, and unbiased.
- Previous Article
- Next Article