What Counselling involves and how I do it

Whether you have had Counselling before or not, I suggest you hear more about how I work, as Counsellors work in different ways.

As you probably know, Counselling is a ‘talking treatment’.  This means we’d explore together what you want to change and find a way forward that feels manageable for you, for an hour every week.

Through working with me in this way people begin to develop and change.  I believe this happens because all of us have within ourselves the capacity to heal, to grow and to create a more satisfying life of our choosing.  Much of my work is helping people re-discover and mobilise these inner resources that seem to be ‘lost’, or that have become distorted or mistrusted, through experiences in their life.

For example, you may begin to notice how the way you deal with your difficulties has become a habit and it doesn’t really work now.  Using this insight I’d help you explore other possibilities until you found what works for you.  I may suggest things others have found useful too.

My attitude is warm, genuine and respectful.  I might suggest using writing, drawing and other ways of working if that helps.  I also help you learn how to use your time in Counselling to best advantage.

I have found this way of working to be the most effective in helping people get what they want from Counselling.  After all, life is for living, not for counselling!

However, as you may well know, counselling is not a ‘quick fix’ and often takes time.  Counselling needs you to be willing to talk about what concerns you, be committed and to work at what you want to change, which at times can be difficult and painful.   As your Counsellor, I’d be supportive, work at your pace and be committed to helping you through.

If you are interested in theory, then I consider my main theoretical approach to be modern Gestalt, into which I have integrated theoretical ideas from Attachment Theory, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Existentialism, Transactional Analysis, and less so several other approaches.

As a Counsellor I won’t give you advice or solve your problems for you.  I won’t ‘psycho-analyse’ you.  I won’t judge or criticise you.  I won’t label you with a ‘disorder’ or ‘condition’ and I will keep sight of you as another person, whatever your difficulties.  Lastly, I am not there to ‘befriend’ you, although I expect our work would be friendly.