Counseling and Psychotherapy 
 
The Nature of Therapy
Counseling and Psychotherapy are essentially based upon a professional relationship between the patient and the therapist.  Unlike visiting a medical doctor, psychotherapy requires an active effort on the part of the patient and/or family.  Initial meetings with patients are evaluative in nature, and personal goals for therapy are explored and defined.  The therapist may use interviews, rating scales, and inventories to gain information.  Support is offered without judgment, and the therapist sets the atmosphere to encourage patient growth.  In some cases, complete psycho-educational evaluations are conducted to help determine a treatment plan.  Emotions, beliefs, and very personal history may need to be explored in the therapy or testing sessions.  The benefits of therapy are the desired changes and improvements which may be made by the patient.

Risks of Therapy
While most patients do make progress and meet their goals, there are also some risks to therapy. The risks include the awareness of negative feelings such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, and frustration, or the patient may not be able to make all the changes desired.  Psycho-Educational evaluations often measure intellectual ability, developmental disorders, achievement levels, attention problems, learning disabilities, and other conditions which can cause personal frustration.  Additionally, there is a possibility that patients coming into the office may be seen by other patients in the same areas, and this could cause some discomfort.  Other unforeseen risks are possible, but most people feel the benefits outweigh the risks.

Also see: http://therapist.psychologytoday.com/34016