What is Counselling?

Counselling provides you with the opportunity to talk to someone in a professional capacity to help you address issues which you feel are impacting you and/or your quality of life. Sessions can center around aspect of your life that you are affected by or feel that you need help with in a open, safe, supportive and confidential environment.

How does it work?

A counsellor can work with you to help you make positive changes in your life, to grow and to develop yourself as a person. To achieve this your counsellor will help you learn new skills and potential coping mechanisms to overcome challenges. It’s encouraged that counselling does not end in the session but work is carried out by the client after the session has ended

The duration of counselling will vary depending on the needs and wants of the client. Some clients find they benefit most from short-term, solution focused counselling. Other clients may prefer longer term therapy, utilising the therapeutic alliance between counsellor and client to glean a deeper understanding of themselves.

How often do I attend and how long are the sessions?

Counselling sessions are usually once per week and last for 50 minutes. The duration of counselling remains the clients choice at all times, but generally a minimum commitment of six sessions over six weeks is recommended.

Who should attend counselling?

Counselling/Psychotherapy is for anybody. As individuals we all deal with things in very different ways, counselling can help during changes or in times of crisis in your personal or professional life.

What’s the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

Counselling and psychotherapy are terms that overlap heavily and are very often used interchangeably. Both elements involve providing a level of professional assistance to people who are experiencing issues which they are personally affected by the list of these issue are unlimited but examples are provided here.

Counselling tends to focus on more present issues such as loss, bereavement or relationship breakdown. Psychotherapy tends to deal with deeper, more long-term issues that may be rooted in the past e.g. a trauma, or, serious mistreatment, where the affects continue to have an impact on the client.

What will I get from counselling?

A client will get as much from counselling as they are willing to put in, while the counsellor will provide a safe, open and honest environment where the client will be supported and respected throughout the sessions and with confidentiality at its heart, the client needs to reciprocate and work with their counsellor to achieve change and/or positive outcomes.