What is Counselling?

Counselling offers a safe and confidential space for you to talk through what is troubling you.  Counsellors  can help you to uncover your own insight, metaphorically walking alongside you, carefully exploring the way you perceive the world and helping you to better understand your thoughts and feelings, whilst navigating a way forward. A professional, trained practitioner  will be adept in listening carefully and without judgement.

Counsellors do not give advice but are empathic , non-judgemental , impartial and resilient making them the perfect people to go to,  to work with your emotions however confusing or sometimes unacceptable they may seem to you. Sessions take place at the same time and place on a weekly basis and rely on a strong working relationship in which both the counsellor and the client are committed to change,

A counselling relationship is one of respect, trust and safety.

Why do people come to counselling?

Sometimes we have a good idea of what's troubling us but sometimes it can feel quite vague and perhaps just outside of our grasp. Counselling can help uncover our subconscious feelings and once uncovered ,these feelings  can be reality checked making it easier  for us to make decisions and realise we have choices.

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons but some common themes are::

Anxiety, Depression, Bereavement, Bullying, Relationships, Low Self-Esteem, Feeling stuck in situations or relationships and Trauma.

How counselling can help?

Everyone of us is unique and will have a different approach to responding to the problems and challenges life can throw at  us. For some people just having a safe, confidential space in which to talk things through can be enough to help, but others might need to work  through their past and figure out how coping with past events has shaped their behaviour in the present. 

Counselling is not advice giving, instead counsellors strive to help you  to uncover your own insight and a new understanding of your problems, arming you with the knowledge of yourself to help you to resolve problems on your own. The deeper the understanding you gain of yourself the easier it becomes to have faith in your decisions and choices. Counselling can be very empowering!

What to expect in therapy

It's quite natural to feel a bit nervous before your first session especially if you've not had any prior experience of counselling but I hope you will soon feel at ease.

In your first session we'll talk about what's worrying you and your goals for therapy. We'll consider if we feel we will be able to achieve these goals and decide if we would like to work together. 

During subsequent sessions we will aim to build a trusting  relationship where you feel comfortable enough to share openly and honestly what troubles you.

Counselling doesn't offer a quick fix or a magic wand, as well as being empowering and growth-enabling it can be painful and challenging at times.