How does someone who has never had counselling choose the type of counselling they need?
Many clients have asked me this question over the years. It is difficult enough to reach out for help when you need it without then having to ask what type of counselling would be best. In this blog I will illustrate what the different types of counselling there are. There are a lot of different types of counselling out there and the following is not an exhaustive list but gives an overview of the main types.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
This is the type of counselling with the most research backing and used most within the NHS. It is a structured program for looking at the individual’s relationship with beliefs, thoughts and feelings and the resulting behaviours. CBT is usually delivered short-term which is one of the main benefits. Another advantage is it is effective for phobias and OCD or a single issue (for example - difficulty dealing with a family member or work colleague). For those who are looking to change automatic negative thoughts CBT is very useful. The main disadvantage of CBT is that it focuses on the thinking and rules out other experiences. CBT is sometime not suitable for more complex issues when it is offered short-term. CBT has within it different specialisms like CBT-E (eating disorders), CBT-I (for insomnia) and CBT – TF (trauma focused).
Person-Centred Counselling
This type of counselling is focused on the person receiving the counselling and their goals for their sessions. Person-centred counselling is not as structured as CBT which allows exploration of feelings and other experiences, not just thoughts. Person-centred counselling is about looking at the person as a whole and personalising support. In person-centred counselling the counsellor is there to empower and enable decision making. Within a person-centred counselling session, you are treated as the expert in your own life and that no one else knows what it is like to be you. Person-centred counselling is about you becoming the best version of yourself.
EMDR (Eye-movement desensitization and reprogramming)
This type of counselling is quite recent compared to other forms of counselling as it was only developed in the 1980s. It is the go-to treatment for those with PTSD or complex-PTSD mainly for its ability to reduce troubling symptoms like intrusive flashbacks. EMDR is focused on techniques which reprocess memories so that they are stored correctly. It has a distinct advantage over CBT – Trauma Focused therapy as it does not require the person to relive the trauma which occurred. This means it can often be more suitable for those who have complex-PTSD.
Psychodynamic Counselling
This type of counselling focuses on the unconscious forces that drive an individual’s actions. Psychodynamic counselling works on bringing these unconscious desires or anxieties into conscious awareness so that they can be changed. This type of counselling is what most people would traditionally view as counselling as it is based on the work of Sigmund Freud and often involves looking at early experiences. This type of counselling is usually longer term and is useful for working on childhood issues or looking at behaviours were the cause is not easily identified.
So, which of the above counselling is best?
All counselling types will provide a safe space to explore what you want to work on. The type is really a personal preference and dependent on what you want to work on.
If you prefer a structured approach and are looking at working on a single phobia, then CBT would likely give you a good result.
If you are dealing with intrusive flashbacks from an accident, then EMDR would be especially effective.
If you are looking to working on longer term and more complex issues, then either person-centred or psychodynamic would be a good fit for this type of work.
Although that does not mean that you can’t use a different therapy approach to work on any issue. The key is to choose what you feel drawn to and if you feel that style of counselling is not working for you then let your counsellor know so you can explore what is not working for you. Don’t be afraid to try different types of counselling or different counsellors until you find what works best for you.
For more information contact me at info@forcounselling.co.uk.
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