Using Support and Collaboration to Solve Challenges
I often ask new clients during their therapy intakes: “What’s missing in your life.” Before the pandemic, they’d often launch into lists of unachieved work or personal goals, causing stress, anxiety, or depression. Since early 2020, however, the collective response has been different: Most clients miss their interconnection with others.
I can think of many instances in my life when attending an event or volunteering has led to friendship, collaboration, and more. Interaction establishes and supports our well-being and is a necessary form of learning, growing, and living.
A lot is going on these days, and we have unprecedented Internet access to much of it. Unfortunately, this often feels overwhelming. Not only do we have our personal issues, but the onslaught of humanity’s collective challenges can feel daunting.
Support: Then vs. Now
The need to supportively reach out to one another is as old as humanity. Phrases like “love thy neighbor as thyself,” “step into someone else’s shoes,” or “it takes a village” resonate because we are social creatures. We have the instinct to use support and collaboration to solve challenges.
However, these ideas have given way to a modern mindset that has us believing it’s more admirable to figure out our issues alone. This “stand on our own” edict is a cautionary practice, as it isolates us and makes relating to one another less habitual and more complex.
This “Lone Wolfing” can easily send us myopically off track, as it eliminates the consideration of outside perspectives. As a result, when we chat with others, it’s more divisive – about our problems and opinions – the focus is not on curiosity or sharing solutions.
We’re replacing collaborative synergy and cohesion with subjectivity and accusation. Couple this with our COVID pandemic siloing, and it’s easy to argue that we’re a culture manifesting much of what is psychologically ailing us.
We Can’t Go It Alone.
Even with all the Googling in the world, there’s no way to individually “know it all.” So, for the sake of all of us, let’s return to our humanitarian roots and consider the resources we can provide to one another. Let’s use support and collaboration to solve challenges. There’s no shame in asking for help. In fact, there’s a lot we gain by seeking outside assistance. It’s time we normalize collaboration as a way to solve our personal issues and interpersonal challenges.
Here’s a list with explanations of services available to help us live more completely:
1. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy helps us adopt new perspectives to update our self-concept and enrich our self-perceptions and interpersonal relationships. The psychotherapeutic journey is an interactive “deep dive inside” where the client and clinician team up to evaluate and discusses psychological blocks. It’s an interactive process where the clinician provides techniques to help the client view life circumstances with more resilience and optimism.
“Psychotherapy” is the umbrella designation for work performed by licensed Psychologists (Ph.D. & PsyD), Marriage Family Therapists (LMFT), Social Workers (LCSW), and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC).
These licensed healthcare providers aim to assist people in uncovering, challenging, and resolving unhealthy perceptions and solving problematic emotions. Once recognized, clients replace distorted thinking with more accurate and workable mindsets – positively impacting their (internal) mood and (external) functioning.
A Process for Peace
Psychotherapy helps us understand and leave behind our habits, traumas, and distorted mindsets. These brain-based interventions stimulate neuronal activation and growth (“SNAG”), a natural rewiring that occurs when adopting healthier perspectives. Symptom relief and long-term mood stabilization occur when reframed thinking leads to this cognitive restructuring.
Are the Terms Psychotherapy and Counseling Interchangeable?
I define counseling as the “process of” psychotherapy. Therefore, psychotherapy is a scholarly, interactive, and intuitive “counseling process” that addresses clients’ views of themselves and others.
2. Life Coaching
Coaching is a solution-focused modality for those clients with specific life goals in mind.
Whereas psychotherapeutic counseling emphasizes finding and sustaining emotional well-being, Coaching explores task-oriented approaches for obtaining and supporting stated objectives. For example, a life coach designates action plans for pursuing and attaining skillsets – like better task management/delegation – or – budgeting to buy a house. They also provide motivation and accountability for aspirations like losing weight or running a marathon.
Coaching is a non-regulated profession with no specific government oversight or legal requirements. Anyone can call themselves a “life coach,” – so research your provider before buying a package or committing to a program. It is illegal for life coaches to describe their services using any of the terms that the law protects for licensed mental health professionals.
Here are answers to other frequently asked questions:
- Therapists are healthcare providers. Coaches are not.
- Only healthcare providers must comply with HIPPA (confidentiality) standards.
- Most insurances cover psychotherapy but do not reimburse for coaching services.
- Only psychotherapists can diagnose and treat mental health conditions.
That said, many life coaches have expertise in a specific field and can give excellent guidance, support, and mentorship. In addition, some life coaches have completed extensive life coaching certificate programs. Moreover, many psychotherapists (including those at The Mental Gym) offer life coaching options in addition to their licensed psychotherapy services.
3. Consulting
Think of Consulting as counseling for businesses. Today, companies succeed or fail through financial standing and cultural relevance. Consultants can provide an array of psychological services to overcome challenges and promote cohesive work environments to achieve these goals.
Many companies consult with therapeutic professionals on Human Resource matters. They also use mental health experts to create programs aimed at teambuilding, presentations, or off-site experiences.
In Summary
Psychotherapeutic brainstorming helps release psychological blocks so you can lead a happier and more peaceful existence. Coaching can assist you in achieving stated goals. Consulting can aid organizations in implementing systems so employees can work with greater cooperation and cohesiveness.
No Shame – All Gain
Instead of surfing the Internet for what’s wrong in the world, spend some time away from your keyboard engaging in collaboration as an effective tool for happiness. Considering the insight of others is a great way to evolve to the next level – and plenty of supportive services are available for this purpose.
The one thing that transcends our cultural differences and geographic distances is our shared humanity – let’s use this connection to grow past our personal problems and global challenges toward collective problem-solving and contentment. It’s clearly up to us –