Growing up, I always thought that counselors were for people who could not handle the stress of life. I thought it was for people who were on the edge, who needed someone to pull them away. This is true! It is for those who need help managing stress, or preventing harm to themselves or others.

However, it is also there for those who have everything together. Because after all, having it all together looks nice to others, but it is VERY difficult behind closed doors.

I never really considered counseling until my sophomore year of college. There were plenty of failed attempts because of maximum bookings, so for a while, I had no other choice but to settle for stress management groups or simply dealing with life's obstacles on my own. Fast forward to about two months ago, I was determined to find a counselor that was compatible with my energy and I DID IT! I went in thinking that my friendships were the only thing I wanted to work on and at this moment I can tell you that this was ONLY the surface of what I had built up inside of me for a long time.

I discovered patterns within myself, and how I interact with others. I discovered that my family history plays a huge part in why I am the way I am. Things that I thought were minor are actually major; circumstances that I thought did not bother me actually do, and that is 100% okay! For me, talking to a stranger about certain things in that type of setting is actually relieving. No strings attached, no judging, just a listening ear, and pure help.

My attitude has changed within that short time span; my confidence was high before, but it has definitely gone up. My outlook on life has changed for the better; I'm finally conquering life events that seemed to haunt me. It feels damn good! This moment in my life is probably one of my highest, as far as self-discovery and growth are concerned.

So... if anyone is debating on if they should try counseling or not, DO IT! If you do not like it, that is cool. Everyone is not meant for everything. I highly recommend it though; get to the bottom of things. At a certain point in life, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Cleanse your soul, make it better!