How to Use Counseling to Overcome Academic Challenges

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Use cognitive behavioral therapy for test anxiety.

   Test anxiety is a very serious academic challenge.
   
   For those with test anxiety, it may not matter how much they study, the anxiety of taking the test will interfere with their performance.
   
   This can lead to failing or a low score.
   
   Cognitive behavioral therapy can help with test anxiety.Part of CBT is challenging negative thoughts.
   
   During counseling, you will learn how to identify negative and damaging thoughts that you have about exams.
   
   Then you will work on modifying those thoughts.
   
   For example, you may think, “I am going to fail this test.” Through counseling, you will learn how to replace that negative thought.
   
   You may eventually be able to say, “I feel like I’m going to fail.
   
   Feeling is an emotion, not a fact.
   
   I am not guaranteed to fail.
   
   A fact is that I studied for this test.”
2. 2

   Step 2: Undergo psychotherapy.

   Psychotherapy can be used for any academic challenge you are facing.
   
   Psychotherapy is therapy or other treatment given by a mental health profession.
   
   Talk therapy may be helpful for any of your academic challenges, such as test anxiety, social anxiety, depression, or learning disabilities.Using talk therapy allows you a safe, supportive environment to talk about your academic challenges.
   
   You can confront your feelings and work through them.
   
   Since test anxiety is a real problem that stems from a specific kind of anxiety disorder, psychotherapy may be helpful.
   
   You may learn to identify any underlying reasons why you have test anxiety.
   
   Psychotherapy may be helpful if you have behavior issues, anger issues, or feelings of isolation or depression due to a learning disability or mental condition.
   
   Go see a professional therapist or you can talk to a counselor found through your school. , You may have social anxiety that causes you to feel uncomfortable talking in class.
   
   You may feel like everyone is going to think you are stupid, or that your teacher will tell you you are wrong.
   
   You may just feel horribly embarrassed.
   
   In counseling, your therapist can teach you cognitive behavioral therapy strategies to deal with this anxiety.Through CBT, you will learn how to recognize your irrational thoughts and learn how to challenge them and replace them with positive or healthy thoughts.
   
   For example, you may be afraid to speak in class because you think everyone will think you are an idiot.
   
   With CBT, you will learn how to challenge that thought by asking yourself, “Am I a mind reader? Can I tell the future? No.
   
   So, I cannot know if they will think I’m stupid.” You may ask yourself, “What is the worst thing that will happen if I say the wrong answer? The teacher will correct me, and I will continue listening in class.
   
   No one will laugh at me because no one laughs when other students get answers wrong.”, Group counseling is a treatment technique where you go through a therapy session with other people who have a similar issue as you.
   
   The session is facilitated by a trained mental health professional.
   
   Group counseling gives you a safe place to discuss your problems and meet others who have similar issues as you.You can learn from others as they discuss how they have faced or overcome obstacles.
   
   You can also gain support from them or offer support since you are going through similar things.
   
   You can go to group counseling for many different issues, such as social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, ADHD, and anxiety, among others.
3. 3

   Step 3: Try CBT for classroom anxiety.

4. 4

   Step 4: Try group counseling.

Detailed Guide

About the Author