The state of mental health in the US reflects a worrying situation. According to the CDC, one in five US adults lives with a mental illness. Many of these individuals are having to deal with serious behavioral and mental health problems like bipolar disorder and depression. Another mental health problem currently plaguing the US population is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, around eight million American adults have PTSD during a given year. Women are more prone to suffer from this mental health problem than men, which is a discussion for another time. Right now, however, it’s vital to understand how to deal with PTSD before things go out of hand for American citizens in this regard.
Mental health counseling is the obvious solution, but how can it help you overcome your past traumas and deal with them in a healthy way? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
#1 Provides You a Safe and Supportive Environment
One of the fundamental benefits of mental health counseling is the creation of a safe and supportive environment. Counselors are trained professionals who offer a non-judgmental and confidential space for individuals to express their thoughts and feelings. Through providing a compassionate and empathetic atmosphere, counselors foster trust and create a sense of security, allowing clients to explore their past traumas without fear of rejection or criticism.
Mental and behavioral health professionals also use electronic health records to create a supportive environment for their patients without them having to go through past traumas repeatedly. As explained by Accumedic, the specialized EHR software used by mental health professionals can keep track of every individual’s treatment plan as well as update their personal files accordingly. Therefore, with each visit, the patient doesn’t have to relive the discussion from their previous session, because the therapist will have a record of it on the clinic’s EHR system.
Given how past traumas can impact them all of a sudden, this particular feature of the behavioral health EHR software enables patients to feel more comfortable without them having to talk about their traumas repeatedly with the therapist.
#2 Helps You Understand and Get Validation
Trauma often leaves survivors feeling isolated and misunderstood. Mental health counselors possess a deep understanding of trauma and its effects, allowing them to validate the experiences of their clients.
By acknowledging the pain and distress caused by past traumas, counselors help individuals realize that their feelings are legitimate. This validation plays a crucial role in the healing process, as it empowers individuals to confront and process their emotions in a healthy and constructive manner.
#3 Provides Trauma-Informed Approaches
Mental health counseling employs a variety of trauma-informed approaches designed specifically for trauma survivors. Such approaches are tailored to tackle every individual’s unique needs after a traumatic event.
Techniques like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and somatic experiencing can do wonders in this regard, as they help regulate people’s emotions more effectively. These are evidence-based approaches that are most helpful in dealing with post-traumatic disorders in people.
#4 Helps with Identifying and Challenging Negative Beliefs
Trauma can often lead to negative self-beliefs, such as feelings of guilt, shame, or a diminished sense of self-worth. Mental health counseling provides a space to identify and challenge these negative beliefs.
Counselors help clients explore the root causes of their self-perceptions and develop healthier, more positive beliefs about themselves. Reframing their narratives, individuals can gain a renewed sense of self-empowerment and resilience, allowing them to break free from the constraints of their past traumas.
#5 Allows You to Build Coping Skills
Recovering from past traumas requires the development of effective coping skills. Mental health counseling equips individuals with a toolkit of coping strategies tailored to their specific needs.
These skills can include relaxation techniques, mindfulness exercises, stress management, and healthy boundary setting. By learning and practicing these techniques, individuals can regain a sense of control over their lives and better manage the emotional and psychological impact of their past traumas.
According to a report by The Hill, more people in the United States are seeking mental health counseling than ever before. To give you a quick overview on this, the number of Americans aged 18 to 44 who have been seeking mental health services jumped from 18.5 percent to 23 percent between 2019 and 2021.
This is indeed a positive sign, and it goes to show that people these days feel encouraged to seek therapy and counseling when needed. As long as this practice is in place, people struggling to deal with their past traumas can easily get the help they need by going to counseling.
