Counselling and Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy are very similar. They are both talking therapies which allow someone to talk through their emotions, thoughts, feelings, challenges and issues in a safe, empathetic and non-judgmental space. The main differences between the two are the length of term you have sessions for and the depth of focus. Counselling can be more shorter term and will focus on action and current issues. Psychotherapy is long-term therapy and will be looking at the past to help you make sense of and understand what is, and may have been, contributing to your problems and issues. Psychotherapeutic Counselling is an amalgamation of both practices, where the past and the present are looked at, and practitioners and clients look at thoughts, feelings and experiences at a deeper level. Being a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, I practice psychotherapeutic counselling and can support you in looking at both your past and present in depth and at lower levels, whichever you are more comfortable with. Because of the depth of the therapy, weekly sessions are recommended.
Counselling can only take place with a trained and fully qualified counsellor. Counsellors must be trained to a particular level (level 4 in the UK), undertake rigorous training, work supervised in a client-facing placement as part of their training, be registered with a professional body in order to practice and receive regular supervision with a highly experienced counsellor who is qualified as a counselling supervisor.
People generally seek out counselling when they are at a stage in their life where they are wanting to change aspects of their life, and are seeking support and guidance as to how they go about it. Taking the first step can be challenging, and someone has to be ready to start counselling.
Counselling isn't just about talking about thoughts, feelings and emotions. It can be anything from re-living and processing past events and experiences to understanding how these can play a part in our lives today. From changing negative thought patterns to understanding why you may partake in self-defeating habits. From understanding your relationships to talking through a challenging situation with someone neutral.
Approaches and Benefits
Counselling has many approaches, and as counsellors, we understand that every person who comes to us will benefit from a different approach, as everyone is in their own stage of life. You will come across some counsellors who have been trained in one approach, and others who have been trained in multiple approaches. Those who have been trained in multiple approaches will be known as Pluralistic or Integrative counsellors. I am a pluralistic counsellor and work with three approaches - Person-Centred, Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). During our sessions, all are woven in with each other seamlessly, as and when they are needed. Some sessions we may work with all three, other times we may work with just one, it all depends on what is best for you. A brief explanation of each approach is below.
Person-Centred: This is what is says on the tin - you are at the heart of the therapy sessions. We focus on the here and now, your experiences, your thoughts and feelings, your values, how you view things, what is important to you. This is also where we really build our working relationship, where I get to know who you are, and more importantly, you get to know yourself on a deeper level.
Psychodynamic: This is where we start looking into the past - this can be childhood, teenage years, early adulthood. We into your experiences and how they have affected you, at your coping mechanisms, your self-awareness, what your subconscious thoughts are and where they have come from. As with person-centred, you really get to know yourself on a deeper level.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): This is where we look at your thought patterns. We identify the negative thoughts and look at how they can be reframed. This is where your thoughts are challenged, in a gentle and empathetic way, and it is also collaborative. This can be done through asking questions in the session, or it could be in the way of completing a journal or a thought diary, if you so wish. The way we work through this is completely down to you - you will never be asked to do something you are not comfortable with or do not want to do.
Benefits of Counselling
There are many benefits of counselling, just a few are:
- Improved mental health and wellbeing
- Improved confidence, self-esteem and self-worth
- You feel empowered to make the choices you want to make
- You have someone to speak to in a non-judgmental space
- You understand yourself and others better
- Improved relationships, especially the one with yourself
- Better communication
- You have a stronger understanding of your needs and wants, and what is important to you
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