Have you ever been on top of the world and the next day at rock bottom? People come to counselling and psychotherapy for many different reasons. Large and small problems in your everyday life can be explored to become something more manageable when you understand the “why”.
Taking the first step is often the hardest part. If you’re reading this, then you will have already taken the first step and may therefore understand that life’s journey gives us many ups and downs along the way.
I can offer you a private, confidential and non-judgemental environment. Somewhere you have the opportunity to focus solely on yourself in order to gain clarity of current and past life situations, issues or challenges.
Counselling involves shorter-term therapy – concentrating on exploring your thoughts, whilst using your emotional and intellectual resources in order to make sense of the problems and difficult situations you may be experiencing.
Psychotherapy tends to be longer-term therapy – involving the gradual identification and consideration of how your emotional issues and behavioural patterns may have been causing you internal conflict, or holding you back from living the satisfying life.
Clarification
When you have a general understanding of what your problem is, but don’t necessarily know how to resolve what you’re experiencing.
- I feel sad and lost and don’t know how to manage.
- I want to change some things in my life, but I’m not sure how.
- I want a long-term relationship, but no one wants to date me more than a couple of times.
Behavioural Outcome
When you have a high level of clarity around your problem, knowing what you want to change.
- I want to feel less anxious and fearful.
- I want to stop overeating.
- I want to be more confident at work.
- I want to be more positive in my life.
- I want to stop self-harming.
- I want to drink less.
Exploration
If you can identify internal distress such as depression or anxiety, sadness or anger, but don’t have the understanding or clarity, only a general need to ‘feel better’.
- I’m experiencing anxiety and stress, but don’t know what to do about it.
- I am angry and don’t know why.
- How will my sense of grief and loss ever lessen?
- In a relationship it might be that you don’t believe you are being listened to, but don’t know how to make myself heard.
Growth and Discovery
I would like to understand and discover more about myself. This shows therapy as a personal growth ‘tool’ for self-development.
- I would like to develop my sense of self-awareness.
- I would like to develop a greater sense of self-esteem.
- I would like to increase my confidence level with other people.
- I would like to make more informed decisions in my life.
Through continued personal exploration and expansion, you can gradually develop newfound awareness and emotional wellbeing leading you to live a more happy and fulfilling life.