Our lives are replete with challenges of various kinds. At work, in our personal lives, and even in our moments of solitude, we are confronted by issues such as fear, broken relationships, conflict, grief, and much else. It’s not always easy to cope with our circumstances, and our social networks don’t always have the capacity or skill to help us through those tough times.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and distressed, or if your life and relationships just aren’t flourishing or meeting their full potential, then you might need to take the next step and pursue individual counseling.

Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(424) 438-2888

What Is Individual Counseling?

Individual counseling is sometimes called psychotherapy, talk therapy, psychosocial therapy, treatment, and counseling. It is a process where a client – the person seeking treatment and help – and a trained counselor work one-on-one and have discussions to address any issues of concern. The two form a relationship that enables trust and candid discussions that are intended to lead to personal growth, and this all takes place within a safe, caring, and confidential environment.

Individual counseling enables a person to understand themselves better and to grow in their ability to cope with adverse circumstances.

Individual counseling addresses a broad range of issues, including but not limited to:

  • Anger management problems
  • Addictions such as pornography
  • Chemical dependency and substance abuse, including alcohol, prescription, and recreational drugs
  • Relationship problems, such as conflict, recovery from divorce, dealing with infidelity
  • Grief and loss
  • Anxiety and anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and other disorders
  • Depression and mood disorders
  • Chronic stress
  • Eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, anorexia, and bulimia nervosa
  • Dealing with loneliness and shyness
  • Codependency and the breakdown of healthy boundaries in relationships
  • Body image issues, including body dysmorphia
  • Gender identity and sexuality
  • Spiritual growth and your relationship with God
  • Managing adjustments and transitions in life, including getting older, or starting a new career
  • Recovery from abuse, whether emotional, psychological, or physical abuse

The main aim of individual counseling is to help the individual gain deeper self-understanding so that they can flourish in all areas of their lives. Beyond self-understanding, individual counseling helps a person gain the tools to make wise decisions and cope with painful feelings and struggles in life.

The number of sessions with your counselor will vary depending on the concern you want to address. Typically, the first session of counseling focuses on information-gathering, as your counselor speaks with you to understand your past physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as discuss the concerns that have brought you to counseling. Your counselor uses this information to understand the issue as well as begin developing a treatment plan that will meet your unique needs.

For you, you can use that first session to decide if the counselor’s style is a good fit for you. This is important because for counseling to be effective, you need to trust your counselor and have a good rapport with them. Future sessions are used to explore the issue further and begin learning ways to deal effectively with the issues on hand.

The counselors at Linda Loma Christian Counseling will do everything they can to make you feel supported while working through your concerns.

There are several rigorous approaches to counseling that your counselor may use depending on the concern and what is most effective for addressing it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a popular and effective type of therapy that helps people discern the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Awareness of these connections allows them to identify and then replace negative thinking patterns with healthy, positive ones, which will in turn promote positive emotions and constructive behaviors.

Other effective therapeutic approaches include:

  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), which helps one develop strong relationship skills
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which can help individuals to work effectively on their relationships, cope better with stress, and improve their emotional regulation.
  • Psychodynamic Therapy, which can help the client understand their unconscious experiences and how they can affect a person’s behavior.
  • Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (ACT), which can increase personal awareness of one’s thoughts and emotions.

Find Support in Individual Counseling

Whatever issues that may be lowering your quality of life, it’s possible to begin addressing these in a constructive and healthy manner. If you want to find a Christian counselor in the Loma Linda area, consider Loma Linda Christian Counseling.

Using effective therapeutic practices nested within a Christian faith-based outlook, Loma Linda Christian Counseling can help you cultivate healthy practices and overcome negative experiences that are preventing you from flourishing. Loma Linda Christian Counseling is here to help you; please contact us for a risk-free trial session.

Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(424) 438-2888