Counseling
COUNSELING BY HEALTHCARE professionals (e.g., psychologists, social workers, family therapists, or nurses) is designed to support people's efforts to live and cope with the stress and turmoil caused by MS. Unfortunately, many people still perceive counseling as an activity for the emotionally weak or unstable, and therefore shy away from this helpful resource. In the same way that one would not build a house without power tools, one should not try to learn how to live with MS without tools such as information, guidance, and support. Counseling is an avenue for obtaining all of these.
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| Counseling For Multiple Sclerosis |
Within the supportive setting of counseling, individuals, couples, and whole families can receive answers to their questions, gain insight into their feelings and reactions, talk more openly about their reactions to the intrusion of MS in their lives, learn more effective coping strategies and communication skills, and problem-solve in areas of their lives that are causing them concern.
MS typically involves a variety of symptoms that ebb and flow over the course of the illness. Whether someone remains relatively stable or gradually becomes more disabled, these symptoms can have an impact on self-esteem and emotional being, family life, employment, and overall quality of life. When individuals or families feel overwhelmed by uncomfortable feelings or unavoidable changes in their lives, it is often difficult to identify available options and make satisfying choices.
Counseling can facilitate this process - whether it be a single consultation or several sessions over the course of the illness. During any period of rnajor change or stress, one or another form of counseling can support the efforts of an individual or the whole family to regain a sense of emotional balance and control.
Different people will opt to make use of counseling in different ways - perhaps for help at the time of diagnosis, for sorting out family-related decisions or a job change, for occasional support in the event of a crisis, or on a more long-term basis. Counseling can take a variety of forms, but the overall goal is always to support people's efforts to enhance their quality of life.
- Individual counseling allows the person with MS or a family member to become more informed about MS, explore feelings and concerns, identify options, enhance current coping strategies and/or develop new ones, and receive emotional support. In this type of counseling, people develop an understanding of the grieving process that necessarily accompanies the life changes brought about by MS. For some individuals, the opportunity to explore feelings in a one-on-one situation with a therapist lays the groundwork for participation in support groups or family therapy.
- Group counseling provides a forum for people to share information and problem-solving strategies, provide mutual support, and enjoy the experience of being with others who are "in the same boat." Group counseling is available not only for individuals with MS, but also for well-spouses, couples, children who have a parent with MS, or any other set of individuals with a shared agenda (e.g., working parents, people with cognitive impairment), within the group setting, people find they can talk and laugh about problems that would be too personal to talk about in other situations. They can express feelings of anger, resentment, or fear that they might hesitate to share with family members or friends. Most importantly, perhaps, the group setting encourages the development of relationships that continue to provide a valuable social support network long after the group sessions are completed. Group counseling by telephone is also available in some areas for people with severe disabilities or who are limited by geography or fatigue from attending a group session in person.
- Family counseling helps families recognize the impact of MS on family life, communicate more comfortably with one another about their reactions to the illness, identify and understand the varying coping styles of individual family members, and problem-solve more effectively. A major goal of family counseling is to help the family learn how to adapt to the presence of MS in the household without allowing the disease to drain more of the family's emotional resources than it needs.
Learning about the disease and its potential impact on family life will enable you to recognize stresses and problems as they arise. The resources described exist to help you cope with today, anticipate tomorrow's difficulties, and develop strategies to avert family crises. There is no need to wait for a crisis to develop before getting help. Needing assistance is not unique to families living with MS - we all need support at different times in our lives. Check out the resources and discuss your concerns with your physician or other healthcare provider (e.g., a nurse, social worker, or psychologist).Tracking down the appropriate support person or service may sometimes be frustrating, but be persistent. The important first step is the decision to look for the help you need. To find out more, you can check out Counseling For Multiple Sclerosis.