Counseling

In the Great Psychotherapy Debate (Wampold, 2001), a large meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies demonstrated that if there are two groups of people with similar problems, those who receive counseling will be better off than 79% of those who do not receive counseling. Twenty years of clinical research concluded that the most important factor in successful therapy is the relationship between the client and therapist. At Health for Life Grand Rapids, we focus on the relationship as well as the latest research and methods to ensure that your experience will not only be positive, but likely transformative. Counseling is also known as Psychotherapy.

• Research demonstrates that Counseling works better that medications in the long-term:

With an effective therapist, science shows that psychotherapy even works better in the long-term and is more enduring than medication. In fact, not only is it more cost-effective, but psychotherapy leads to fewer relapses of anxiety and mild to moderate depression than medication use alone—so much so that Norwegian Health Authorities have issued new guidelines concerning treatment of mild to moderate depression and anxiety, stating that psychological interventions, not medications, should be applied first. (Brownawell & Kelley, Monitor on Psychology, October 2011, Vol 42, No. 9)

• Psychotherapy (Counseling) has been scientifically proven to be effective in treating a wide range of issues:

In clinical trials, psychotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, marital dissatisfaction, substance abuse, health problems (including smoking, pain and eating disorders) and sexual dysfunction, and with various populations, including children, adolescents, adults, and elders (Chambless et al., 1998).

• The overall effectiveness rate of Psychotherapy (Counseling) is actually higher than many commonly practiced medical interventions:

Indeed, psychotherapy is more effective than many accepted, but expensive, medical practices, including interventions in cardiology treatments, geriatric medicine and asthma (Wampold, 2007). Psychotherapy is as effective as or more effective than psychotropic medications for various mental disorders, including many depression and anxiety disorders, and results in lower relapse rates than medications (Hollon, Stewart, & Strunk, 2006; Imel, Malterer, McKay, & Wampold, 2008).

• Clinical trial outcomes of Psychotherapy (Counseling) are comparable to actual results in practice:

In addition, outcomes in real world clinical practice are comparable those psychotherapy clinical trials (Minami & Wampold, 2008).” Read more about Why to Choose Counseling here.