Understanding Therapy

While we all probably have a general understanding that counseling is a safe place for us to process our lives, we at NPS thought it might be helpful to break down what a client should expect from their time in counseling. Broadly speaking, there are 3 levels to therapy and a support system:

Level 1: Empathetic Listening and Supportive Soundboarding

Level 1 of counseling is what it is most known for: a safe, non-judgmental space that not all of us have in our life. Carl Rogers, the father of Humanistic Psychology, coined the term Unconditional Positive Regard, meaning complete support and acceptance, no matter our past.

Analogy: Let’s say your ankle hurts, this is ice, rest, and elevation.

Level 2: Symptom Management

Level 2 of counseling moves beyond a non-judgmental, listening ear. It is an active process of engaging and understanding symptoms. This level applies prescriptive methods to the symptoms in order to alleviate the discomfort.

Analogy: Let’s say your ankle hurts more, this is physical therapy.

Level 3: Trauma Resolution

Level 3 of processing is the deepest and most methodical work. It interacts with the core of our inner self, along with our fundamental beliefs, while moving us into profound insights that are both uncomfortable and liberating.

Analogy: Let’s say your ankle is broken, this is treatment through surgery.

Support System: Differential Diagnosis

Supporting each level is the process of accurately understanding the root of the issue. If we don’t know what is causing the pain, we can’t effectively heal it.

Differential Diagnosis, kind of like an emotional MRI, tells us whether we need to ice it, strengthen it, or operate on it.

This is accomplished through the initial intake or, more commonly, through a psychological evaluation.