Article, Social and healthcare professionals working with YCS

Ask For Help!

Ask For Help!
How to start a psychological counselling.

Are you feeling sad for too long? Do you think that adverse situations will last forever?
Maybe asking for professional health can be a solution!
 
Indeed, psychological support may help you focus on your feelings, behaviours, thoughts, and fears that determine other negative thoughts, which create a never-ending loop. Psychological support can help you to stop this negative circle and change your mental assets toward life. 
 
So, how do you start psychological counselling?
1) Settle an objective: think about what you would like to obtain from the psychological intervention (e.g., “I would like not to feel anxiety anymore”, “I want to be happier”) and keep it in mind;
2) Think about yourself: if you are a reflective person, you may choose an analytic approach, while if you prefer structured directions, you may find more interesting a cognitive-behavioural intervention;
3) Time and place: you can choose between face-to-face counselling or online support. Online counselling was essential during the COVID-19 pandemic since it allowed people to continue the ongoing therapies, avoiding social contact. In terms of effectiveness, the online support gains the same results as the face-to-face support. Concerning the last one, you may choose between individual or group session. The group sessions are conducted with several people with similar situations that benefit from social contact and want to meet other people. Usually, the group sessions are cheaper than the individual ones.
4) Look for a specialist on the Internet: several websites collect information about all psychologists working nationwide in many countries. These websites usually show the location, the specialization of the psychologists (e.g., anxiety treatment, depression, self-esteem, and more), the price for each session, the availability of online support, and the way to contact them. 
For example, the website Better Help (https://www.betterhelp.com) starts with several questions about your feelings and your needs, and some questions about you and your preferences about therapy (e.g., face-to-face, online, via telephone, via messages, and so on) plus other personalized features. Then, it matches the therapist that corresponds more to your preferences. Better Help verifies if you are eligible for discounts or financial aid if you cannot afford the cost of therapy. 
If you need help immediately, you can find emergency lines in several countries at https://www.betterhelp.com/gethelpnow/
 
Once you start the psychological support, you will see the difference week after week!
 
 
For immediate help, here the main websites:
https://www.betterhelp.com/gethelpnow/ (for Argentina, US, UK & Republic of Ireland, Spain, Australia, China, Canada, South Africa, New Zeland, India, Germany, Finland)
https://findahelpline.com/ (International website)

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.