Mental health counselors are a passionate and diverse group of individuals. Each therapist will have their own special techniques for evaluating and treating clients, and most of the time, help is readily available and truly beneficial to the client. There are some services in Cape Coral, Florida that stand out from the pack, though, and have certain things in common that make them so successful in treating substance abuse conditions and mental illnesses.
When someone suffers from a mental illness and/or substance abuse disorder, they frequently have a host of symptoms that accompany their condition. They might feel:
- Lost
- Hopeless
- Confused as to how to cope with the problem
- Anxious
- Fearful
All of these things are normal to feel before you reach out for help from a counselor. And a counselor will be aware that you’re having these feelings and know how to put you at ease so the healing process can begin. Someone with a mental illness will still need confident outpatient counseling services, but when a client has a co-occurring substance abuse problem as well, things can get very complicated. That’s why you need a counselor that ranks as the best of the best.
What Do the Best Counselors Have in Common?
The best Cape Coral, Florida counselors will have certain characteristics that make them more approachable and successful in treating clients. There’s not a cookie-cutter list of qualities, but in general, great counseling starts with great listening. It also begins with empathy for clients and a strong understanding of their condition. For example, when you visit a counselor, you want to know that they’re paying attention to you, that they care about your problems and aren’t just there for a paycheck.
Great listening, compassion, and empathy are great qualities and often make or break a counseling service. When a counselor possesses these qualities, they establish rapport with a client and instill confidence in their own counseling services. No client can truly feel optimistic about getting better until they know that they have a competent, compassionate counselor on their side who listens to them and knows how to treat the problem.
What Strategies Do the Best Counselors Use?
A counselor who can treat co-occurring disorders is of infinite value to clients. It’s great if a counselor can treat addiction issues, but can they treat bipolar disorder, too. Since about half of people who suffer from substance abuse disorders also suffer from a mental illness, it’s vital for a counselor to have experience treating both conditions simultaneously. When a counselor can do this, a client truly has hope for a bright future. Spotting mental disorders and substance abuse disorders are usually first in the line of defense for the client. A counselor must be able to diagnose properly.
A good diagnosis leads to a good treatment plan, and the best counselors out there will always have a solid treatment plan in mind, whether it’s outpatient or discussing inpatient treatment with a client. They are above all trustworthy, and a client can always trust them with any problem or issue. The client should also trust their treatment plan and stick to it. This can be a tricky thing for counselors to get clients to do in the beginning, but a great counselor will inevitably give clients a feeling that they’re on a journey toward hope and recovery together.
Journeying Forward
Doctors who treat physical conditions need a good bedside manner, but they can sometimes get by without it. Counselors that are great at what they can’t get by without a great bedside manner. They need to put the client at ease, let them know that they’re trustworthy, and above all, let them know that they’re a professional who has treated these problems successfully before. This instills so much confidence in the counseling process.
Counselors who are great at what they do continue to change lives each and every day. People with substance abuse disorders often benefit from extensive outpatient therapy, and that’s because counselors are often great at what they do. They know how to treat substance abuse disorders, very serious mental disorders, and everything in-between. All hope of recovery begins with a single step, usually a phone call.
If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance abuse disorder or a mental illness, our counselors are available to help 24 hours a day. Just call 844-639-8371.