www.counselling-directory.org.ukCounselling, whilst once the subject of much scepticism and criticism, is now recognised as a hugely beneficial form of therapy.
The act of discussing problems out loud, without fear of judgement, is in itself a healing and cathartic process. However, with the help of a trained professional, the issues at the heart of the problems can be addressed and dealt with, giving a positive outcome allowing the person to move on with their life, free of what was previously holding them back.
The decision to undertake counselling is not one that anyone takes lightly. Many consider the idea for months or even years before deciding to take the plunge.
Accepting that you might need councellingThe main hurdle anyone must overcome before opening themselves up to counselling is accepting they have an problem that needs to be dealt with. Whether it be an addiction, a mental health illness, suffering abuse or an eating disorder, no one likes to admit they are struggling. Often friends and family will try to encourage the person to accept they need help, but the decision must ultimately come from the person themselves.
What will councelling be like?One of the most common questions someone asks before attending their first counselling session is simply ‘what will it be like?’ This is a difficult question to answer - there is no such thing as the ‘average’ counselling session - in a situation so dependent on the individual’s (client’s) thoughts, reactions and ideas it’s impossible to follow any kind of procedure. Counsellors themselves all work in different ways with different methods, all tailored to the individual.
There are, however, several ‘standard’ approaches that counsellors use. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is perhaps the most common form of counselling, and refers to the way the counsellor will address the issues. Focusing predominantly on the present, the ‘here and now’, this form of therapy will help the client to move forward, often through setting goals, and then helping the client to achieve them.
Whilst this method does not completely ignore the past, it focuses on what kind of situations the client may find themselves in in the future, and how to deal with recurring thoughts that may trigger unwanted emotions, in order to eradicate the problem.
Freud’s ideas and methods are now almost considered as pop-psychology, but psychoanalysing still prevails as an effective and common form of counselling. Unlike Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, it does focus on the past, helping to uncover and explore buried and unconscious ideas and memories. These thoughts can help the individual to understand themselves more, revealing why they think, feel or react they way they do.
The humanistic approach has been popular for the last 50 years, and deals with, as the name suggests, the human, - their strengths, weaknesses, and how they perceive themselves. There are four strands to humanistic counselling, - Person-Centred, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, and Transpersonal Psychology and Psychosynthesis. Each strain is based around the goal of the client realising their skills, how to achieve their full potential, and who they really are. They range from helping the client to analyse and change their behaviour to achieve their full potential, analysing thought processes, growth and development, and encouraging the client to discover who they really are.
Some approaches require a very strong relationship between the counsellor and the client, and whilst deciding to have counselling is arguably the hardest part of the process, finding the right counsellor is could be considered the most important part.
The benefits of councellingThe benefits of counselling can quite literally be life-changing. In the case of addictions, counselling can literally save an addict’s life, allowing them to overcome something that could potentially kill them, and more importantly, help them to recognise what makes them an addict to prevent relapses in the future. The results are obvious, giving the individual a greater quality of life, getting themselves back on track and allowing them to live the life they want.
Over an average year, around one in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem - whether it be work-related stress, a family crisis, or something more serious like abuse. Depression is the most common mental illness, affecting one if five people. Counselling provides a welcome alternative to medication, and encourages people to deal with their issues rather than continually suppressing them, which can lead to more serious problems.
Finding the right councellorAs mentioned earlier, finding the right counsellor is essential, and there are many things to consider. Counsellors often specialise in certain areas, so it’s important the individual finds one that addresses their specific needs, with an approach they’re comfortable with.
There are practical considerations too, such as location. Despite assured complete confidentiality people may prefer to see a counsellor that is perhaps outside their local area, but still in surroundings they are comfortable in.
In the current climate, price is becoming more and more of an issue. Many counsellors are now offering reduced rates for those unemployment or claiming benefits, and many are very accommodating so that all those that need help can have access to it.
Perhaps most importantly is ensuring the counsellor is fully qualified to practise. Currently there are no laws to regulate counsellors. However, there are accrediting bodies and qualifications guidelines suggest counsellors should obtain. There are academic qualifications in counselling - under-graduate, post-graduates and doctorates. Being accredited by a professional body - such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - means that the counsellor will have met several criteria, such as a certain number of hours of training undertaken, and hours practising under supervision.
What do I do next?If you’re looking for a counsellor, or want to know more about counselling, or mental illness and other types of distress, then have a look at the
Counselling Directory website. A comprehensive searching tool, the site allows postcode, town and country searches, and produces a list of counsellors registered in this area. Each counsellor has a profile, listing a bit about themselves, their approaches, what areas they deal with, and all their training, qualification and experience and fees. The site shows which counsellors are registered/accredited with a professional body, and full profiles are only displayed after insurance and qualification documents are checked or membership with a professional body has been verified.
This means the individual can acquire all the information they would need from one place, allowing an informed choice to be made.
www.counselling-directory.org.uk
Recent Comments