As a counsellor I often get asked, what is counselling? Counselling is a hidden profession in the sense that it is very private and confidential. The same can be said of seeing your GP but the difference is that everyone has seen their GP at some point, so it is not a big mystery. Counselling on the other hand is not something everyone has experienced and those who have experienced counselling might not wish to tell others about their private experience.
Counselling is often called talking therapy but what is it exactly? If you have never had counselling, it can feel unknown and that can make it harder to reach out for help. Let’s demystify counselling. Let's start with some of the things people mistakenly believe counselling to be.
Counselling is not;
advice giving
about medication
being diagnosed
only for people with real problems
The most common mistaken belief, on the list, is that the counsellor will tell you what to do. A counsellor can provide techniques for dealing with specific issues like a panic attack. What a counsellor will not tell you is if you should take that job or move house or give up on a relationship. Friends and family give advice, where a counsellor is looking to support you to make the decision yourself.
Counselling is;
a safe space to talk with a trained professional
help for those issues or emotions that feel too big to deal with on your own
a space without judgement
a place to decide that next step
a place that can allow you to break old habits that no longer serve you
for everyone
Most of all counselling is a space to focus on just you.
Get in touch
If you want to know more about counselling or have an issue you would like to see explored in one of my blog posts, email me at info@forcounselling.co.uk.
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