Dallas Therapists and Counselors- Choosing the Right One for You or Your Child
There are hundreds of counselors, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in the Dallas area. It can be extremely exhausting trying to narrow down the field and choose a therapist that is right for you based on your needs. Many people feel too overwhelmed and put off finding a therapist for many years, leading their anxiety, depression, or other symptoms to gain more control over their lives until things get unmanageable and they no longer have a choice but to seek help to manage their symptoms. Some people prefer taking a quick medication to help the symptoms go away. Their symptoms are temporarily decreased, things become manageable, life goes on. Many people will remain on these medications for the duration of their lives- a daily reminder that there is something wrong that needs to be corrected medically with them.
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But what if there was a better way?
What if instead of focusing on the problem, we focused on the individual strengths, unique skills and personalities of people- and celebrated and supported those? What if treatment was about strengthening your positive aspects and increasing your self-love and acceptance, rather than labeling what’s wrong and focusing on what you should change about yourself? Do you really need to be a ‘new and better you,’ or is the current you good enough?
These are the types of questions I sought to answer when I first began my career in counseling. The thought of labeling and diagnosing someone always made me a little uncomfortable, although it is considered the standard of practice and is highly accepted for counselors and therapist to assign a DSM or ICD diagnosis to clients. I chose to focus my energy on truly listening and hearing other people’s story, and trying as hard as I could to understand them. I found that just caring about someone often led to quicker and better results than labeling and trying to change them.
“People do not change until they are free not to change.” – Carl R. Rogers
I found that accepting people as they are and not trying to change them in any way was the ultimate vehicle for self-actualization and self-improvement. Once people are free to be their true, authentic self and be accepted and cared for by someone else, they can begin to accept themselves more fully and modify behavior as they see fit. When people feel accepted, supported, and loved, they can begin to grow and reach their full potential.
This is the mindset upon which HeadFirst Counseling was founded. We don’t want to change you. We want to support you in becoming who you were meant to be and becoming your true, authentic self- not who other people think you should be. We look at the whole person (strengths and struggles) rather than just the problem and finding a quick solution. We aim to be different by being the place that accepts all people just as they are.
We believe the only way to reach your full potential is to accept and love yourself wholeheartedly and go full strength ahead towards what brings you happiness and passion. Sometimes it takes some time and encouragement to feel confident in your abilities and feel secure in who you are- and that’s where HeadFirst can help. We can help you navigate the ups and downs in life and support you as you pursue what you were meant to be. Let’s do this together. Let’s dive in, headfirst.
Schedule a therapeutic intake with a therapist at HeadFirst Counseling by calling (469) 665-9416 or visit our website at www.headfirstdallas.com for more information and online scheduling.