Individual Therapy for Adults

What’s The Difference Between Counseling and Therapy?

Therapy and counseling are words that are often used interchangeably, which is the case at Equilibria. Regardless if you call it therapy or counseling, the experience can be very powerful and life enhancing. If you are looking for adult therapists, our professionally trained and licensed therapists are here to listen and help you reach your full potential.

The Benefits of Counseling and Therapy

Counseling and therapy are designed to help individuals address and resolve various concerns, issues, and symptoms. Counseling and therapy intend to promote increased self-awareness, insight, and understanding, thereby enhancing a client’s experience of themselves and others. Thus, not only is counseling effective for helping clients overcome barriers, treatment can also help enhance many positive qualities of an individual’s life, such as increasing self-esteem and compassion and enhancing joy, connection and self-love.

During the course of counseling or therapy, the mental health professional functions as a support in a way that is different from the support a friend or family member provides. Although there is often a strong and connected bond, it is not the same type of relationship. This allows for a safe environment where anything can be said. The counselor or therapist is able to provide a client objective support and aid in helping them find constructive ways of coping with stress, negative feelings, and challenges.

COUNSELING & THERAPY MODALITIES

  • Individual therapy or individual counseling
  • Marriage counseling and couples counseling
  • Family therapy and counseling
  • Group therapy
  • Life coaching

At Equilibria Psychological and Consultation Services we use an integrative, strength-based treatment model to address each individual’s set of unique issues and/or goals. We pull from cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, systems-focused, and insight-oriented approaches to design effective treatment, consultation, and assessment strategies to help our clients.

Why Seek Counseling and Therapy?

People seek counseling/therapy services for all different types of reasons. There is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” issue that can be discussed in therapy/counseling. In other words, counseling or therapy is a safe environment where a client can discuss anything that they want or need to discuss.

Seeking the help of a therapist or counselor does not mean you are crazy at all. In fact, the majority of individuals that seek therapy or counseling services are everyday people struggling with everyday, very human problems and issues.

Reasons for Attending Counseling and Therapy:

  • Feelings of stress or anxiety
  • Anger management
  • Relationship issues
  • Feelings of depression or sadness
  • Feelings of loneliness
  • Academic or work related pressures
  • Trauma
  • Career concerns
  • Coping with medical issues
  • Sleeping difficulties
  • Eating concerns
  • Learning concerns
  • Problems with attention, concentration and focus
  • Substance use
  • Enhancing self-esteem
  • Sexual issues, concerns or questions
  • Concerns about behaviors
  • Concerns about certain emotions
  • Concerns about certain thoughts
  • The desire to increase self-understanding and self-insight
  • Enhancement of positive qualities and strengths

Everyone has difficult life experiences and sometimes being able to talk them through and seek the support of a therapist or counselor can make a significant difference.

In addition to helping people with mental health disorders or the challenges/barriers that people face, counseling and therapy are also used by many people simply for life enhancement, self-discovery, and increased self-understanding.

What Do I Need to Know About Counseling and Therapy?

No matter what kind of therapy or counseling you seek, you and your therapist will work together to establish the goals for your therapy and counseling, as well as determine the steps you will take to get there. The relationship between you and your therapist or counselor is a confidential one. Our Philadelphia counselors are very experienced and will will explain confidentiality to you in detail during your initial session.

In order for therapy to be effective, you must feel like you and your therapist or counselor are a good fit. This work is kind of like a dance. Sometimes you will groove and sometimes you will step on each other’s feet, so you better do the dance with someone you like, respect, and want to dance with. Finding the right match is perhaps the most important step in the therapeutic process. It often takes a few sessions to know if you feel you have found the right fit. At Equilibria, we are very conscious of the fact that the relationship is an imperative part of the therapeutic journey. If you feel your therapist is not the right fit, please speak with him or her and they will assist you in finding someone more appropriate.

On the whole, you can expect your therapist or counselor to be someone who demonstrates respect, who supports you, who listens attentively and actively, who challenges you to think about things in different ways, who provides honest and direct feedback, who is ethical and who models a healthy and positive relationship experience.

You can learn more about Equilibria’s counselors and therapists in Philadelphia to obtain a better understanding of who you could work with. Each clinician has a bio and introduction video so you can learn a little more about their style and approach to therapy.

Scheduling an Appointment

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (267) 861-3685, Option 1 or fill out our contact form.