Is there anyone who, at some point in life, would not benefit from counseling? Each of us, in our fast paced, demanding society, struggles with problems or the desire to change and grow. The time might be one of grief, stress, marital/family conflict, loneliness, depression, anxiety, natural disaster, addiction, or transitional stages in life triggering a time of searching or growth in one's personal or spiritual life.

It takes courage to admit that you have a problem or that you are unsure of how to focus on change and growth.

It takes courage and wisdom to realize that you might not be able to resolve this problem, or make these changes for growth without professional help.

It takes strength to pick up the phone and make the call to seek help. Surely that receiver weighs at least 200 pounds and probably you will go straight to voicemail. At PCC, our goal is to respond to each call that goes to voicemail within 24 hours. We usually respond within only a few minutes or hours. Often one of our counselors is available to schedule your session immediately. Rarely do new clients wait more than a day or two to be seen.

After making the initial contact you begin to feel slightly better knowing that you have taken the first step of the unsure journey to resolving your personal problems.

As you move toward the day of your first appointment, you start having doubts. "Did I make the right decision? Am I going to be able to tell my secrets to a stranger? Can I really do this?" However, you admit to yourself that if you could resolve these life difficulties on your own, without help, that you would have already done it by now. The realization that keeping the appointment and taking a chance with seeking professional help gives you the courage to go to your appointment.

Dr. Chet Zelasko encourages us with these words:
Changing-- begins with the desire to change. Desire transcends just thinking it. Desire implies that there is a passion to change. You have to want it bad. How bad? Bad enough to be willing to do something about it, whatever it takes. That's desire and the cool thing is that you can create that desire.

If you don't have that desire, or you're not really sure you do, start thinking about it and I mean really thinking hard about what your life might be like... Write those things down, because desire wanes at times and you'll need to be reminded. You'll be able to pull out what you wrote and renew that desire again.