COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY
Perhaps you have a specific problem or issue that wants attention, or a more general sense of unease or dissatisfaction with your life? You may feel in distress, overwhelmed by feelings, or as if life ’isn’t working’. Problems may be showing up in your personal relationships; at home or at work; in changes of mood or outbursts of anger. You may also be experiencing physical symptoms such as: tiredness; disturbed sleep; eating problems; increasing your use of drugs or alcohol to cope. understand and change addictive or compulsive behaviour
Therapy can help to:
· ◘ move away from depression, anxiety and panic
· ◘ deal with overwhelming feelings
· ◘ find clarity about sexuality or identity issues
· ◘ live with pain or chronic illness
· ◘ feel more at home in your body
· ◘ express your thoughts & feelings constructively
· ◘ make decisions wisely and confidently
· ◘ find ways to reach longed-for goals
· ◘ transform stuck areas in your life
· ◘ create or re-establish fulfilling and rewarding personal relationships
Therapy or counselling offers you a safe, confidential space where you will be listened to carefully and without judgment. From there it is possible to clarify what the problem or unease is, how it came to be, and to move forward. It is a chance to explore, think about and understand life, so that you can live it well.
What is psychotherapy and counselling?
Counselling and psychotherapy are both ‘talking therapies’ that offer people a chance to change how they feel and to live better. Your counsellor or therapist isn’t there to give you advice, but she will listen to you carefully and engage you in a conversation that can help to clarify aspects of your life that may be causing you distress or confusion.
Counselling and psychotherapy generally differ in the length of time they may take and in their intensity. Psychotherapists have usually undertaken a longer and more thorough training, equipping them to work with more deep-seated issues. Counselling is often seen as more appropriate for people who have a particular issue or difficulty they wish to deal with, or who are reacting to a particular event such as a divorce or bereavement. Someone with longer-term difficulties may be better suited to psychotherapy.
Counselling and psychotherapy are both usually conducted on a weekly basis. Short-term counselling usually refers to 6-12 sessions. Long-term or ‘open-ended’ counselling or therapy can continue for up to 2 years or more. People can sometimes feel anxious about becoming ‘dependent’ on their counsellor or therapist, and this is not uncommon. Your therapist should never exploit these feelings, and professional codes of ethics state this clearly. It is up to you, in consultation with your therapist, to decide when the time is right to stop, and your therapist will help you to deal with the often-difficult feelings that come up when facing endings.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
You may be anxious about what
therapy entails or what you need to do in the sessions. This is entirely
natural; after all, we don’t usually discuss our innermost thoughts and
feelings with a stranger. At its most fundamental, a therapy session is an
intimate conversation or dialogue in a safe, private, confidential space, with
someone who is trained to listen and reflect on what you say without judgment
or expectation.
As your therapist I won’t be ‘diagnosing’ you, neither will I be telling you
what to do, but together we will be able to explore your world in a way that
allows you to find the next step forward. I will engage you in a conversation
about your life and gently challenge you to explore alternative perspectives.
New possibilities and ways forward may emerge from this. I will help you to
understand that you can have choices, and assist you to reconcile events in
your life that you had no control over.
You will set the agenda for sessions; the discussion will focus on what
concerns are important to you. We may need to reflect upon your childhood or
family background, but not just for the sake of it. We explore the past as it
is presently lived, as it affects you now in your life, after all, you are
more than the events that have happened to you.
Problems in living can be intensely frustrating. It can feel as if you are on
a merry-go-round of repetitive thoughts and feelings that lead nowhere. If you
knew what to do about your problem, you probably would have done it already.
In therapy you will be invited to experiment with ‘not-knowing’, to approach
your inner experience without thinking that you know all about it already. As
your therapist I will help you to foster an attitude of curiosity, openness
and interest that frequently entails staying with unclear, vague or fuzzy
senses (an experience that, incidentally, today’s society doesn’t value,
preferring clarity and speed). You can learn to delight in this unknowing and
to value its unfolding.
First session
The first session will be an opportunity for us to explore the possibility of
working together. You will be able to ask any questions you may have, and we
will talk about your hopes and expectations of the therapy process. I will
also reserve some time to discuss practicalities such as fees and session
times. If, after the assessment session, you feel that therapy or counselling
isn’t for you, or that I am not the right therapist for you, I can assist you
with referral options or to find alternative sources of help or support.
Feedback
I value and will regularly seek your feedback on the therapy process. We both
need to check that we are heading in the right direction and that you are
getting what you need from your sessions. From time to time I may suggest that
we have a review of our work together.
Confidentiality
Your sessions are confidential. If your case needs to be discussed with my supervisor your personal details will not be revealed and your anonymity preserved. However, if I have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of a third party, it may be necessary to inform your GP, psychiatrist (if applicable) or someone else. These situations are extremely rare, and I will always endeavour to inform you beforehand of any action I intend to take.