What to expect
I can offer you 'counselling" which tends to be short term, anything from 8 weeks to a few months or a year. This is useful if you have a specific issue that you want to address, and you feel it is 'stand alone' - for example; stress, current relationship problems or a recent bereavement. In your counselling sessions, we would focus on the here and now, your current feelings and your understanding of your problems. I believe that you, the client, are the expert on yourself, and our work would be concentrated on finding how you can best deal with your current situation for a positive outcome.
If you find that you wish to explore the origins of your issue, then "psychotherapeutic counselling" may be more appropriate for you. This involves longer term and more fundamental work, and it helps you to explore how the issues you are experiencing in the present are influenced by your past. This may be useful if you are affected by long term anxiety, depression, continual relationship issues, or coming to terms with difficult childhood experiences.
Some clients find that they start with counselling sessions and choose to progress at their own pace to more psychotherapeutic sessions. Since I work ethically, I will always make you aware of the level you are choosing to work at.
For all therapy sessions it is important that you feel ready to work on your self. Therapy is not about getting advice and finding a quick fix. It is about being listened to and becoming more aware of your self. Sessions need to be as regular as possible for you to benefit from the process, so it helps if you attend at the same time each week. Of course if you can't do this due to rotas/shifts then we find a way to work round this and still give you the support that you need. I will be open with you and encourage you to continue or take a break or even seek a different type of counselling, depending on your needs, as I am committed to you having a positive and professional experience of therapy.
Print 