The Impact of Aging
With aging comes stress. And this stress impacts you emotionally, mentally, behaviorally, socially, physically and spiritually. It confronts your self-identity and immortality. It challenges your beliefs, values, assumptions, hopes and relationships with loved ones. For most people, as years accumulate, life can become more limited.
Why Should I Consider Counseling Sessions?
Participating in psychological counseling can offer you relief from your stress and worries. It can provide you with confidential human support, reassurance, guidance, confirmation and compassion.
Over 120 years ago, psychotherapy was developed to help people overcome personal, relationship, emotional, mental and behavioral problems. And since then, the research and practice of psychology has made great advances.
We all have issues and conflicts that we can’t conquer on our own. It’s interesting how medical problems don’t embarrass many of us. We openly talk about our medical treatments, symptoms and physical concerns with friends, acquaintances, strangers and loved ones.
Yet, to admit to and reveal psychological issues and struggles is often feared and avoided. To have emotional, mental, social, behavioral or marital struggles are often too embarrassing to talk about. The stigma is too great. For many people, it’s too shameful to have a psychological or relationship problem. So, they shut-up, pretend the problems don’t exist and suffer silently on their own.
This secrecy and silent suffering are not necessary and often compound and intensify our personal problems. Secrets are usually detrimental and damaging. Pretending is delusional. Talking about real problems and concerns and reaching out for help is healthy behavior and can lead to solutions.
We all have different kinds of bothersome issues, so it is helpful to get some guidance, perspective and assistance. It’s smart to try to overcome painful problems. How? By talking to a professional counselor or your primary care physician to get a referral to a therapist.
But What If I Have Doubts about Counseling?
Doubts are common. Anxiety about starting counseling is also common.
But what is there to fear? Not much other than the opinions of others. Conversations with counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists are private, protected and confidential. It is safe. There is nothing much to lose except perhaps your pride. However, potentially there is much to gain.
In therapy, you may discover that you need to let go of your old beliefs and judgments that hold you back and keep you stuck or cause you to suffer. So, be courageous.
Most people who seek therapy find direction and relief while those who refuse to ask for help remain stuck in their misery and same old problems.
You have witnessed many medical advances over your lifetime. During that same time period, much counseling research and progress have been achieved and verified.
Topics and Issues to Address in Counseling Sessions
From the extensive list below, select a few items that you would like to benefit from:
- Put your life into a more positive & meaningful perspective
- Reduce your daily stress & worries
- Decrease your loneliness, social isolation & withdrawal
- Improve your marriage & love relationships
- Build a more positive & reassuring attitude
- Develop more hope & emotional resilience
- Reduce & manage your depression, anxiety, frustration & anger
- Develop a more positive self-identity with less judgment
- Overcome your annoying fears & worries that hold you back
- Stop worrying about things you have no control over
- Learn relaxation & mindfulness methods
- Formulate your strategies to reduce stress at home
- Address your painful marital & relationship problems
- Deal with your problematic parent-child issues
- Provide your caregivers with support & gratitude
- Learn to manage your persistent trauma reactions from your past
- Reduce your nagging shame, guilt & regrets
- Let go & release your shameful memories
- Begin to resolve your painful childhood & family memories
- Make positive contact with your estranged family members
- Cope better with loss, financial & death issues
- Confront your drug & alcohol problems
- Get help with your chronic illness & terminal disease
- Identify your your values, beliefs & priorities
- Re-evaluate your commitments that are no longer realistic
- Begin to take care of your bothersome unfinished business
- Cope better with your limitations & disability issues
- Review your life & put it into a more positive perspective
- Feel more comfortable in asking for help
- Enhance your intimacy & become more open with loved ones
- Get motivated to put your estate into order
- Start downsizing and simplifying your life
- Prioritize your “bucket list” & put it into action
- Decrease your self-defeating behaviors
- Reduce your persistent inner negative “self-talk” & criticism
- Release your destructive “secrets” that keep you stuck & stressed
- Let go of your anger & disappointments related to past experiences
- Start developing new positive habits to retain optimal health
- Get inspired to fight your illness with endurance & discipline
Who Are These “Seniors”?
This website page is reaching out to educate and encourage “seniors” to improve their daily quality of life. You could be in your 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s and benefit from personal counseling. It’s never too late to change, renew and resolve old painful issues.
You may feel very youthful or suffer from a chronic illness. You may be energetic or exhausted. But because you are still alive, improvements can still be made and relief can be attained. You deserve it. Your work is never done until you are 6 feet under.
Whether you call yourself young or old, a senior or an elder, help and hope are waiting for you to take positive action for yourself and your future.
Who Pays for Counseling Sessions?
There are two basic ways that psychotherapy can be paid for: 1) with your health insurance and 2) out of your own pocket. Most seniors in the USA have some form of health insurance.
The most popular health insurance for people over 65 years of age is Medicare. Did you know that Medicare pays for counseling sessions? Well, it does and most seniors don’t know this fact. And if you have a secondary or gap insurance, then that back-up plan covers your copay amount.
Fortunately for many elders with Medicare and gap insurance policies, counseling is free of charge. So, if you have this coverage, you have no financial excuse not to take advantage of this opportunity.
If you have Medicare coverage but no secondary health insurance, your copay amount will be between $25 to $30 per session.
I am a Medicare provider. After many years of interacting with many different health insurance companies, it is my current opinion that Medicare and the secondary insurance programs are the most reliable insurance programs to deal with in the USA for subscribers and professionals.
But Does Participation in Counseling Mean that I’m Crazy?
No! Engaging in therapy means you are wise, self-reliant and striving to improve and help yourself overcome problems. It means that you are pro-active and courageous. Participating is a sign of positive mental health and decision-making.
How Do I Find Out More?
You can call Medicare directly and get advice from their friendly representatives. They have a list of local Medicare providers for you to choose from.
Or, you can call me at 805-448-5053. I am a certified Medicare provider and I will share what I know in order for you to make an educated decision.
I have been working with seniors for well over 25 years, offering psychological treatment to individuals, couples and their families. In addition, I have treated many patients with cancer and chronic illness.
How Do I Start Counseling?
Once you identify a professional therapist to consult with and understand all the costs and insurance coverage that may be involved, call that therapist and make your first appointment. There is no obligation to continue to see that therapist for future sessions. If you resonate with the counselor and feel comfortable, then make a second appointment. If you were not a “good match”, then schedule a visit with another therapist. It is acceptable to “shop around” until you find a “good fit”.
I hope this website page has been helpful to you.
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There is no need to suffer quietly and alone. For more information and an initial free telephone consult,
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