Counselling & Psychotherapy

Counselling

If you have a specific problem for which you feel there is no deep seated cause, it may well be that counselling will be what you need.

This can be short term counselling for a limited number of sessions, although by negotiation it can be extended for a longer time.

Counselling does not usually work at the same depth as psychotherapy and may be said to be more concerned with short term solutions which may be adequate in many situations.

The counselling offered at the clinic combines the best of humanistic and cognitive behavioural practice. Such an approach helps you to identify and express your feelings in order to start to make sense of the issues that you bring. Your thought patterns are explored. When you feel ready, goals are discussed. For instance:

• Are there assumptions and core beliefs you want to work on?
• What about coping strategies?
• How are your expectations of counselling to be met?
• Are there choices to be made?
• What changes do you want to come about?

This counselling method helps you to see how thoughts, feelings and behaviours are linked. It encourages you to do some homework between sessions in order to achieve those goals agreed with your counsellor.

Psychotherapy

If you feel that the difficulties you are facing may have their roots in an earlier experience, or if you feel anxious or depressed, then it is likely that psychotherapy will be what you need. This is a longer and deeper process and will aim, not only to help you to alleviate or change a problem but also to deal with its initial cause. The skilled support of an experienced therapist at a regular time and place can help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and what has brought you to this point in life and enable you to deal with your life in a more successful and creative way.

There are all kinds of reasons why you might decide to go and see a counsellor or psychotherapist. Here are just some of them. You may:

• wish to make changes in your life and need support to find your own direction
• be suffering from stress
• be having relationship problems
• struggle with feelings of low self esteem
• be suffering loss after separation, divorce, or bereavement
• feel depressed, anxious, panicky or emotionally confused
• have suicidal thoughts or feel life is not worth living
• have an eating disorder or be self harming in some way
• feel lonely of isolated, afraid or unhappy
• be beset by difficult or unwanted feelings

For further information about counselling and psychotherapy, you may like to visit the following websites:

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy(BACP): www.counselling.co.uk
U.K. Council of Psychotherapy (UKCP): www.psychotherapy.org.uk
The British Psychological Society: www.bps.org.uk

Practitioners:

• Maureen Connolly Plowman (Counselling)