Change and growth involve taking risks. In deciding if now is the right time for you to pursue personal counseling, you will want to be aware of both the risks and benefits of therapy. Being aware of our true feelings can, for a time, result in uncomfortable levels of sadness, fear, anger and related emotions. While being supported in counseling, you may choose to recall and to think in some detail about difficult moments from your past. Such remembering can be emotionally difficult. Also, clients in therapy can have increased problems with people important to them. People we care about may not be comfortable with new choices we make. The phrase that sometimes "it has to get worse before it can get better" can be true in therapy. This can leave a client feeling that problems have actually increased after the beginning of treatment. Most of these risks are to be expected when people are making any important changes, especially when we are pursuing healing and growth in critical areas of our lives. A final risk is simply that you would spend your time and money in counseling and not see improvement. The best protection against this risk is if you can make a commitment to talk directly with me if therapy is, in any way, not meeting your goals. Such directness is welcomed by me and may be critical for you to get the benefits you want from our time together.

While you consider these risks, you should know also that the benefits of therapy have been documented in numerous carefully designed research studies. Consumer Reports conducted a major survey in 1995 and found that the vast majority of people who sought counseling felt that they were helped and were pleased with the experience. People who are depressed may find their mood lifting. Therapy can help people better manage their anger. Fearful and anxious feelings can be significantly lessened and better controlled. Being in counseling gives you a chance to talk things out fully in a setting that is confidential and respectful. Clients in therapy may grow in many directions. You can gain greater clarity about your personal goals and values; you may receive more satisfaction from social and family relationships; you may find yourself more able to simply enjoy being alive. I do not take on clients I do not think I can help. Therefore, I enter our relationship with optimism about our progress.