What is therapy...
Reaching out to a therapist is not always easy, it takes courage to make that first call. It may also mean admitting there are issues that you can not work out alone or with the help of family and friends. However, once you have made contact and booked your initial consultation, you may begin to feel excited and ready to make those changes that have eluded you up until now.
What's it all about?
To begin with, you may of heard of both counselling and psychotherapy. There are various definitions to how these two models differ so I tend to think of counselling as shorter term work which generally focuses on a specific topic, for example, conflict at work or stress. In contrast psychotherapy more often than not is long-term work, which goes more in-depth into the presenting problem, for example early trauma and attachment issues.
"When you're in a dark place, you sometimes tend to think you've been buried. Perhaps you've been planted. Bloom."(unknown)
How I work
When we first meet, it will give us both the opportunity to decide if we are the right match to work together. We will also discuss what your expectations of counselling are and what you hope to achieve. I will also be curious as to why you decided to seek out therapy now and what support you currently have. Should you then decide that you would like to work alongside me, we will then arrange further sessions.
We all know life can be tough at times so if you are currently finding life difficult then you are not alone. Sometimes we need a little extra support in order to work through and understand what is happening to us. It can be hard to appreciate how simply talking to a therapist can be helpful particularly if you have never experienced counselling before. But talking to someone who has been trained to listen and respond in a certain way can be profoundly helpful. If you are feeling stressed, depressed or struggling to like yourself then talking about how this is making you feel can begin to bring resolution and clarity.
Working alongside a therapist is about sharing your experience with someone who will not judge you or make you feel ashamed. It can also be a wonderful opportunity to share your anxieties confidentially whilst being offered total unconditional acceptance and empathy. Often working alongside a counsellor can allow your difficulties to become more manageable and if you have suffered a deep loss then having someone to walk with you through your grief can help the healing process enormously.
How therapy can help
- Gain peace of mind, respect, and freedom
- Identify important changes to be made
- Experience support and guidance
- Identify realistic hopes and goals
- Develop new patterns
- Learn new skills and tools
- Feel more connected and purposeful
Do therapists give advice
I feel strongly that an important element of therapy is to help you make your own decisions. Therefore I will never make a moral decision about the course of action you ought to take. I often sum up what I understand you have been saying in order to help you reflect upon it and to ensure that I have understood you. However, what’s most important, is you deciding what is right, for you.
Click Here To understand the difference between a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist and counsellor
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