Individual counseling, sometimes called "therapy" or "psychotherapy", is a process through which clients work one on one with a licensed professional counselor in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. Individual counseling offers a safe place for clients to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, and work through challenging or influential memories. Individuals may choose to identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change.
There are many reasons people seek therapy, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. A client and therapist may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as several years. This is determined depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy.