counselling
What is counselling?
Counselling is work! It's a process that requires commitment and participation, with you doing the work and the counsellor facilitating the process for you, which can include challenging you and offering you a different perspective. Occasionally, it can (and ought to) feel difficult and uncomfortable, which, in time, can lead to greater self-awareness and feeling more in control of your reactions. As a counsellor, I aim to make myself redundant, with counselling coming to an end when you are able to be your own counsellor.
Counselling is not advice-giving, a quick fix or a magic wand, or something that is done for or to you. The more you are able to put into it, the more you are likely to get from it.
A counselling session lasts 50 minutes, which is known as the therapeutic hour, and I generally recommend that they take place on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Individually or together?
I offer both individual and relationship counselling. Individual counselling is, as it sounds, appropriate for people who are looking to explore personal issues on a one-to-one basis. Although it can be helpful to have the other person or people in question in the session with us, individual counselling can also be helpful in identifying and taking responsibility for the role that we play in relationships and their issues.
While relationship counselling can be helpful for people who are experiencing interpersonal issues within romantic relationships or marriages, it can also be helpful for people who are facing challenges within their non-romantic relationships, such as family or friends. It can also be appropriate for exploring issues that are not directly related to the relationship but are having a detrimental effect on it.
Short- or long-term?
I offer both short- and long-term counselling. Generally, the primary aim of the short-term counselling that I offer is for the management of “symptoms” of, for example, anger or anxiety and, in a few sessions, we can identify and build upon your existing coping strategies to help you better manage how you are feeling day-to-day.
Long-term counselling, as I practise it, is a space in which you can begin to identify the root cause of your "symptoms", so that you no longer have to learn to simply manage them. It can often be helpful to explore the often long held thoughts and feelings underlying your current issues and, in becoming more aware of them, you can then begin to process and either accept or change them through a combination of reframing your thoughts, managing your feelings and modifying your behaviour.
In the counselling room or online?
I offer both in-person and video counselling. The one you choose is a matter of personal preference, since each has its own benefits. With in-person, we have the benefit of the non-verbal communication in the room with us. It also takes place on neutral territory, which can help you to forget about the outside world and to focus, without distraction, on yourself for 50 minutes. Video counselling can be easier to commit to, especially if your schedule is a busy one, and it can take place in the comfort of your own home.