Which psychological counseling center is better?

In fact, there is no "best" psychological counseling agency in an absolute sense. As long as the qualifications are compliant, suitable for your needs, and can make you let go of your guard and be willing to open up, it is the best choice for you.

In the past two years, when I went to seek counseling with my best friend who failed the postgraduate entrance examination and was still in love, I went through many pitfalls before I figured out this truth. At that time, she kept her eyes open all night until dawn and couldn't eat. At first, Tu Jin found a small studio downstairs in the community. The counselor was known as a "national first-class psychological counselor". After sitting down and chatting for 10 minutes, he said that she was "severely depressed" and asked her to immediately apply for a 20,000 course card. She was so scared that she squatted on the roadside and cried for half an hour after she came out. In fact, her condition got worse.

Later, I checked a lot of information with her, and also asked several friends who had been in the psychology industry for five or six years, and I discovered that when it comes to seeking consultation, you really can't just look at the reputation of the institution and whether the fees are expensive. You must first understand your own situation. For example, if you have experienced obvious physiological reactions, such as insomnia lasting for more than two weeks, sudden increase or decrease in appetite, or even thoughts of harming yourself, don’t hesitate to go to the clinical psychology department of the local public mental health center as soon as possible. This is recognized by all people in the industry as the highest priority option - after all, the qualifications will never be fake, and if you need to cooperate with drug treatment, you can prescribe it directly without delaying the situation. Of course, the shortcomings are also very real: it is really difficult to get an appointment. My best friend later went to our Jingwei Center and it took a week to get the appointment of the deputy chief physician. A single consultation lasted 25 minutes. After the doctor asked about the basic situation and prescribed sleeping pills, it was time for the next appointment. She didn't say a lot of things she was holding back in her heart, and she always felt like there was something behind her.

If you are not in need of drug intervention, but have recently been experiencing severe internal strife at work, had conflicts with your family, or are unable to get over a breakup, and want to find someone to have a good chat with and sort out your emotions, then a formal private consulting agency or a reliable online consulting platform may be more suitable. My best friend later found a local chain agency that had been open for five or six years. The teacher who visited her for the first time asked her about the double blow of postgraduate entrance exams and broken love, and matched her with a humanistic counselor who was good at emotional counseling. The studio was in an office building, and when the door was closed, it was a small private space with warm yellow lights and soft sofas.

However, it should be mentioned here that there are indeed many pitfalls in private institutions, so you should keep your eyes peeled when choosing. I also saw news a while ago that some organizations paid counselors 300 yuan to buy an "International Psychological Counselor" certificate, and then they dared to charge 800 yuan an hour. Others will continue to induce you to apply for an annual card, saying that long-term consultation is effective, but it is actually a lie. Let me teach you the simplest screening method: No matter how hyped up the other party is, you first ask to see the counselor's qualifications, either the national second-level or third-level psychological counselor certificate obtained before 2017, or a registered psychologist or supervisor in the registration system of the Chinese Psychological Society. These two are currently the most recognized and unqualified qualifications in the country. If you can't get it, just leave. Don’t believe the propaganda about “three cures for depression” and “100% solution to emotional problems”. To put it bluntly, psychological counseling is about “helping people help themselves”. A good counselor will not directly give you advice and tell you that you should break up or resign, but help you develop the ability to cope with your emotions. Where does the saying “guaranteed” come from? Those who dare to pat their chests and guarantee are 100% liars.

People in the industry often debate which school of consultants is more reliable. In fact, it really depends on the person. I used to know a friend who was a product developer. He had severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. Every time he changed his plan, he had to check it dozens of times. He couldn't work normally at all. At first, he found a consultant who was good at psychoanalysis. Every time, he asked him whether his parents were too strict when he was a child. After three conversations, he couldn't stand it anymore. He said that I don't want to talk about my childhood, and I just want to be able to work normally now. Later, he changed to a CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) consultant, who would assign him small exercises every time and teach him how to interrupt obsessive thinking. It only took more than two months for him to feel relieved a lot. You see, it’s not that the counselor is bad, or that there’s something wrong with the genre, it’s just that they don’t match. If you prefer to delve deeper into the root causes of emotions, then counselors from the analytical and humanistic schools are more suitable for you. If you want to quickly solve the specific problems at hand, highly practical schools such as CBT and mindfulness will be more effective.

Oh, by the way, there is another cost-effective option that many people don’t know: If you are still a student or have a limited budget, you can check if your local university has a psychology center that is open to the public. Many 985 and 211 psychology departments will provide low-cost consultation to the public. , the consultants are all masters in psychology, and are led by senior supervisors. Although they do not have that much experience in case studies, they have a good professional foundation. The fees are generally only tens to a hundred yuan an hour, but there may be more people making appointments, so you have to wait a little longer.

In fact, seeking psychological counseling is a bit like finding shoes that fit your feet. No matter how comfortable others are wearing, it is useless for you to wear them. Don't blindly follow the trend and look for the most expensive and famous one. Don't be embarrassed to change if you feel awkward and uncomfortable during the first consultation. After all, the most important thing is that you can feel free to speak your mind.