| Counseling for adults can involve short or long term therapy, depending on the
goals and needs of the client. Short term therapy is solution oriented and works
on solving immediate needs. It involves the counselor taking a direct, active
role in focusing on a single key area of concern in the client's functioning.
Long term therapy is focused on integrating various facets of personality into a
unified whole. There are many useful approaches both traditional and alternative
that serve to connect us to the essential nature of ourselves. Mind/body
approaches are very helpful in this regard as we learn to identify and relate to
the various parts of ourselves. This is like healing the inner selves or
re-parenting our inner children. Transition is a time when we seek meaning. For many people transitions can be a time of connecting to our essential self, to the driving force within us, that we were never taught to know how to use and access. There are useful tools and approaches to finding this essential nature and embracing our life with it. But we must look at our essential skills, and learn the gifts within the wounds of the heart. For some, these are stepping stones to a fuller life, while for others it is a life's journey in progress and a yearning for deep inner connection. Whatever the motivation, the process becomes how we build the roads for the journey that is already there and interpret the sign posts that are along the way. Healing the inner self is a personal journey which can and does often heal the relationship. We can also use relationship to heal the inner self. Couples can have individual issues in a relationship that affect the functioning of the relationship and there can be issues that are merged into what we call "a field" or area of non-verbal communication that influences the relationship unconsciously. These issues are also related to the hidden parts of ourselves. We can get to know these parts through the context of healing with an intimate other. In intimacy, we unfold ourselves and gradually reveal our true selves to our partner which heals relationships. Couples counseling is about learning skills for relating, loving, and communicating so growth can happen with regard to healing emotional, spiritual, and psychological issues and bringing healing to the context of relationship. What is emotional health? |
