New to counselling or therapy
There might be many reasons why you want to talk to a counsellor or therapist. There could have been a major event like a bereavement or a relationship breakdown. You might be experiencing a general feeling of anxiety, depression, or lack of self worth. You may have found yourself aware that you have been acting in ways that appear self-destructive. Sometimes people simply say, 'I don't seem to be able to cope at the moment.'
Some life events are very hard to bear. Bereavement, for example, may be the most difficult thing that anybody has to deal with. Other events such as relationship breakdown can feel more or less difficult depending on the relationship itself and how and why it ended as well as on the personal history an individual brings to it. Losing work is similar. It can feel anything from a minor setback to a devastating loss. Having and maintaining a relationship can sometimes feel as difficult as losing one.
Counselling looks at all the implications of a situation for the individual. Something that affects one person severely will feel easier to another, and vice versa. There is no one-size-fits-all. The counsellor works with all the aspects of the individual's experience which makes the way she or he is feeling unique, to unpack the particular significance of what is happening.
Much of life encourages us to sweep troubles under the carpet and put a brave face on things. The problem is that the effort of doing so can wear us down. In counselling you can explore things you might not want to make public among your family, friends, or social circle. Somewhere inside, you have the resources to deal with crises or other difficulties, and heal. The work of counselling is to support the process of finding these resources.
Counselling is confidential. A counsellor is someone who has been trained to listen in a particular way, which is both empathic and free from prejudice. In the counselling space you can ask questions about yourself, and what has happened to you. We all make crucial assumptions about our lives - often without realizing it. Questioning these assumptions can make us feel more at home with ourselves, and better able to face our future.
“Having and maintaining a relationship can sometimes feel as difficult as losing one.”