WHY COUNSELING?

There is no other medium in society quite like counseling or psychotherapy. You will find that we use those two words as meaning the same thing. Counseling is an action-oriented approach to emotional, psychological, intellectual, spiritual, social, physical, and financial growth. At GPA our focus is not as much on solving problems as it is providing solutions. We like to think of ourselves as "Developers" rather than "Shrinks." While covering all aspects of human development, counseling showcases your human capacity to change and overcome problems, disadvantages and handicaps and reach goals that were previously thought to be impossible. Counseling offers you the opportunity to learn how to take charge and control your own internal world, rather than relying on external forces, or short term fixes--such as medications. More and more people are discovering and utilizing the services of a skilled counselor to help them solve difficult problems while living in a complicated society.

Individual counseling that happens over the process of time has some unique advantages over other forms of learning:

1. Counseling provides for systematic and periodic checks on how the learning is being individually structured and used.

2. With the help of your counselor, you are able to structure your learning through your own history. This becomes therapeutic as well as educational.

3. You are able to get immediate professional feedback on your plans and ideas for change.

4. Counseling gives you the advantage of repetition, experimentations, practice, questions, and revision.

5. Counseling is flexible and does not hold on to dogmatic beliefs about the world.

6. You can also expect confidentiality, which is usually not the case even with the closest of friendships.

7. The counselor is not emotionally invested in your problem and can help structure clear thinking.

8. Counseling helps you lead a more productive and happier life.

9. Having a professional counselor in your corner--someone that you can consult with on a regular or periodic basis, is a tremendous tool in achieving your potential and highest levels of achievement.

10. Your counselor becomes your "Personal Coach."