Counselling provides a safe, impartial and confidential space in which to explore the difficulties that you may be experiencing. Talking to a professional in an open way, safe in the knowledge that what you say will not shock them, can sometimes help you to understand what is making you feel as you do.
All of us at some time in our life will experience times when we feel that we cannot cope. Sometimes we may feel embarrassed to admit to anyone that we feel unable to cope at the moment. These feelings may interfere with other areas of our life. These feelings may affect our academic studies, our relationship with others, or our personal life, to the extent that we feel unable to live in a successful or satisfactory way. This may be the time to seek out a counsellor.
Feelings such as anger, grief, anxiety and loneliness can be distressing and cause anguish, especially if they have been ‘bottled-up’. For example, no one understands, I can’t cope anymore, I’m going to fail my course, I feel like I’m trapped in the wrong body and I’m trying to juggle work, kids, partner and I feel stressed.
Counselling can help you to explore and reflect upon these feelings.
Counselling can help you to understand more deeply what is concerning you, and can help you to work towards resolving these difficulties and find relief.
What happens in a counselling session?
Counselling is not advice and may feel different from other types of help. It is a process where the counsellor can help you to explore and understand difficulties, and then help you to develop your own resources to cope with them. The counsellor will treat you with respect and treat your concerns with care and sensitivity. You will be carefully listened to, and at the end of counselling, you should have a better understanding of how to cope with existing and future difficulties.
How long does it take?
Generally, each counselling session lasts for 50 minutes. The first meeting with the Counsellor provides you with an opportunity to discuss issues you wish to explore and what you hope to achieve from the counselling. Sometimes one or two sessions will be enough for you; sometimes the Counsellor will suggest a limited number of sessions.
Is the counselling confidential?
Confidentiality is paramount within counselling, and will only be breached with your consent if the Counsellor feels that you may be ‘at risk’ to yourself, or that you may pose ‘a risk’ to others. The Counsellor will be guided in all matters by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s Ethical Framework for Good Practice. Files containing confidential information about clients are kept in a locked, secure environment and are only open for purposes of professional consultation regarding their work. Such consultation is itself subject to expectations of confidentiality.