How to Build a Trusting Relationship with Your Geneva IL Licensed Mental Health Counselor

How to Build a Trusting Relationship with Your Geneva IL Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Do you suffer from trust issues?

Difficulty with trusting others might even be part of the reason you chose to seek out therapy in the first place. Do not feel alone. Only a third of the country feels that they can trust their fellow Americans.

If you do not trust others in general, then how do you allow vulnerability with a therapist you barely know? However, in order to truly heal through your sessions, you must build a trusting relationship with your therapist.

Ask Your Geneva, IL Counselor Important Questions 

Therapy encourages you to search within yourself for answers and healing. This means that you can expect a lot of inquiries directed your way.

However, you should ask your therapist in Geneva, IL a few pressing questions as well. Though you should not ask super personal questions, you can dig into professional qualifications and methods.

Getting to know a person helps build trust naturally. Build the patient counselor bond by asking your therapist about where they went to college, interned, and worked. You might also ask how long they have worked in the field and why they chose this one.

Hearing about their qualifications can help you feel more comfortable in knowing they can truly help you. Also, if they open up a little, you will feel more comfortable opening up to them.

Also ask:

  • Do you prefer patient or therapist-led sessions?
  • Do you focus on immediate dilemmas or deeper-rooted issues?
  • How can your counseling services help me?

Getting a sense of what to expect can help ease your anxiety.

Understand the Boundaries

If you do not understand the boundaries of the patient-counselor relationship, trust can get lost on both sides. Go in knowing that this is a professional relationship, even though they may feel like a friend in certain circumstances. Giving intimate details of yourself to another person and leaning on them for emotional support can also conjure up a false sense of romance.

Crossing boundaries can create embarrassment, hurt feelings, and bigger issues. Talk about boundaries in the beginning and write them down so you never feel betrayed.

Create Clear Objectives

Create clear and concise goals with your therapist in the beginning. They cannot read your mind and may move in a different direction if you do not express what you want out of the sessions. Track these goals. This will help you see your progress and trust in their abilities with you.

Communicate Openly

Your counselor will not judge you and wants to help you. Lying or hiding important details can actually hurt their trust in you, so always communicate openly.

Also, communicate concerns you have about your sessions. If you feel something does not work for you, speak up so you can find a way that works better.

Create a Healthy Counselor Relationship

Your counselor relationship will make a difference in your treatment. Building a sense of trust with one another will help you feel safe so that you can open up and heal.

We want to help you navigate life and find contentment within yourself. Contact us today at our Geneva location so we can assess your needs.