Preventive Counseling

“Good risk management is about making small corrections early rather than large corrections later.” -FAA

“Safety is not the absence of accidents. It is the presence of systems and practices that prevent them.” -Chesley Sullenberger

You can’t expect to be a perfect pilot flying a perfect aircraft. Instead, you perform preventive maintenance, run a preflight check, and train for an emergent situation. Your expectation and plan should be the same for your mental health. Sometimes when conditions are satisfactory (VFR conditions) we can do a lot to prepare for any difficult conditions we either see coming or ones that catch us unaware. Preventive counseling at VFR wellness teaches you the same strategies you would use if you were treating a psychiatric diagnosis. That way you can avoid mental health concerns from ever arising to that level. If life happens and you find yourself in the mental health equivalent of a storm, you already have the well-trained skills to help you safely navigate it to come out on the other side.

Focus areas for Preventive Counseling

Anxiety and Stress Resilience

Emotional Wellbeing

Recovery and Processing Difficult Experiences 

Fatigue and Sleep Difficulties

Alcohol and substance use patterns

Communication and Relationships

Cognitive Performance

Career and Professional Development

Burnout and Work-Life Balance

Chronic Pain and Illness

General Wellbeing

How Preventive Counseling is different

Traditional Therapy

  • Treatment begins with assessing for psychiatric conditions. Once a diagnosis is given, treatment focuses on its treatment.
  • Uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques applied to the specific diagnoses identified. 
  • Focuses on managing and/or decreasing the psychiatric condition.
  • Can move into preventative therapy if condition is in remission and agreed upon by client and provider.

Preventive Counseling:

  • Treatment skips a diagnostic assessment and instead focuses on the whole picture and what matters to you!
  • Uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques flexibly applied to your values and goals to increase general wellbeing
  • Focuses on maintaining wellbeing and performance and avoidance of future issues.
  • Can move into traditional therapy if agreed upon by client and provider.

Special consideration for Pilots and Controllers

 

At the start of services, you and your provider will discuss your goals and determine whether a preventive wellness approach is appropriate for your needs. VFR Wellness preventive services do not routinely include diagnostic evaluations or the treatment of psychiatric conditions.

If concerns arise that suggest a mental health condition requiring assessment or treatment, your provider will discuss these findings with you and help connect you with appropriate clinical services. Diagnostic evaluation and treatment services are provided only when they are clinically indicated and agreed upon by both the client and provider.

Because aviation medical certification requirements can vary based on an individual’s circumstances, clients are encouraged to familiarize themselves with applicable FAA guidance and consult with their Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) regarding specific reporting questions.