Friends, if someone who you know, needs counseling, please do not suggest that they go to a self-appointed “guru” or a counseling “center” that is not licensed and accredited. And don’t think that is what you should do, either, if you need help!
There are multiple stories of people who are not trained and licensed, who are not taught ethics, causing great harm to people who have suffered trauma and abuse, simply because they are lacking in understanding about how trauma/abuse affect people. They are not referring these clients to professional help when they realize the magnitude of their issues, but continue to “work” with them to try to “help” them, doing additional harm and damage.
The brain is a genuine organ in the body, and it can and DOES suffer harm when there are life events which damage it. Abuse of any kind can and often DOES damage the brain in documentable ways.
There are trained counselors who understand this and know how to gently work with a person to bring help and hope to them. Self-appointed gurus and/or counseling centers are not those people or places.
If you really care about people, start encouraging them to go to qualified, trauma-trained counselors if they have experienced trauma and abuse.
A Better Way works hard to help people find licensed, accredited counselors who they can consider, if they need counseling. We do this, even when it takes a lot of time and energy on our part, because we know how vitally important qualified counseling is. We do this, because we work first hand with clients who have been chewed up and spit out by “self-appointed gurus” who have done their dead level best to “help”, and have instead caused more harm.
You wouldn’t go to a self-appointed guru who claimed he could perform open heart surgery on you, would you? Why would you treat your brain any less kindly than your heart??