Generel Information on Psychosocial Counseling
What is psychosocial counseling?
Psychosocial counseling means professional counseling and support for people in a wide variety of problem and decision-making situations in order to provide assistance in coping with everyday stress or crisis situations.
Life and social counseling (= Lebens- und Sozialberatung) in Austria is anchored as a fourth pillar alongside medical, psychotherapeutic and clinical-psychological or health-psychological care and has been an acknowledged trade that has been subject to authorization since 1990.
When is psychosocial counseling useful?
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Do you have a very personal problem that you would like to talk about openly and confidentially?
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Would you like to talk to someone about your situation who is appropriately trained and who works with you professionally and responsibly?
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Are you facing a difficult decision and would like to discuss all the pros and cons that are important to you with a neutral person who you can fully trust and who is bound to secrecy?
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Do you have a private conflict with someone and are you looking for a third party who has learned to find a constructive solution to conflicts?
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Do you have difficulties in a relationship with your partner and want to work on a solution to the problem?
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Do you experience your personal or professional situation as unsatisfactory and don't know how to change that?
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Do you have the feeling that something in your life is not going quite the way you wanted and imagined it to be?
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Do you know that there are some areas in your life that you could definitely improve - but you have not yet found the right contacts and confidants?
If one of the above considerations applies to you, please do not hesitate to contact me!
The training to become a psychosocial counselor
Psychosocial counseling is a protected trade in Austria, and is regulated through standardized training with both theory and practice sections, and is monitored by the trade authority.
Counselors do not diagnose mental illnesses and do not work with clients who were previously diagnosed with mental illnesses.
Counseling vs Therapy?
Sometimes the decision between counseling and therapy is not an easy one.
The biggest difference, stipulated by law, is that counselors and life coaches only work with clients who have no diagnosed mental illnesses!
Psychosocial counseling deals with topics and problems that can arise in everyday life - the achievement of personal goals, the management of crises, professional issues, bullying, communication issues, stress management, conflict management, partnership, family, sexuality, resilience training, help in decision-making situations, etc.
In the health sector, psychotherapy is an independent healing method for the treatment of psychological, psychosocial or psychosomatic behavior disorders and states of suffering. The practice of psychotherapy has been regulated by law since 1991 (Psychotherapy Act, Federal Law 1990/361).
If you are unsure whether your topic is suitable for counseling, or if it should be treated in psychotherapy, you are still welcome to contact me by phone or email. I am happy to help find the ideal support for you.