Active coping strategies. From self-help to psychological counseling.

ABSTRACT

Everyone must accept a certain measure of responsibility for dealing with personal stresses. This article suggests various active, constructive, self-help strategies. It specifically focuses on the advantages of adopting positive attitudes, maintaining a sense of humor, engaging in a variety of activities, identifying and relabeling stresses, and using multiple, active coping techniques. Demonstrating how professional psychologic counseling may help the individual in effectively dealing with personal problems, the article also defines and delineates counseling. It explains why one should seek professional help, tells how to select a counselor, describes the types of counseling available, advises ways to best utilize the counseling process, and discusses the length and costs of treatments.