Will I Have to Lie Down on a Couch and Talk About My Dreams?

When I’m talking about stress and mental health, I often get questions like “What is counseling really like?” or “Will I have to lie down on a couch to talk to the counselor?” or “If I see a counselor, does it mean I’m ‘crazy’?”

There are so many myths about counseling, ideas that come from old movies or bad TV shows or daytime soap operas. These myths make people hesitate and not want to see a counselor who could really help during tough times.

I like to think of counselors as people who are good listeners, who can have an objective perspective when life is just too tangled or complicated or full of hard feelings. They can point out patterns we might not see, do a little education, and help us problem-solve and learn new skills to get back in balance.

Lots of times counselors can help during times of change, when stress is high. I saw a counselor after my parents died, and it was really helpful.

Even when someone describes it to you, it can be hard to imagine what counseling would be like, though. Because of this, some of my colleagues at UGA who are part of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network asked me to work with them on some videos.  These brief videos were made to help people, particularly people in agriculture, understand the emotional struggles in farming, how counseling can help, and what counselors do.

There are two videos.  In the first video, Dr. Roberta Bellamy, a licensed Medical Family Therapist and herself from a farm family, talks about her work with farmers. She describes how she provides counseling to farmers who need support and help getting through hard times—and how she helps their families too.  Check out Help is on the way. It provides some really good insight into what a counselor does.

The second video features Dr. Camp Hand, Assistant Professor and Extension Cotton Agronomist at the University of Georgia.  Dr. Hand has been on this blog before talking about the importance of good mental health.  In this video he shares some of his personal story during a time when he had depression and worked through it with the help of a counselor.  Take a look at Did anybody ask?  It’s a candid look at how counseling can help.

Please watch the videos when you get a chance. And if you think that you might benefit from a counselor, reach out. You can start with your family doctor or (in Georgia) you can call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225. They will connect you to the support services you need.

It’s ok to ask for help if you need it—sometimes that’s exactly what we need to do to keep thriving.