About Counselling
Counselling is a process of talking about and working through your personal problems. The therapist helps you to address your problems in a positive way by helping you to clarify the issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness.
An integrative approach to counselling involves drawing from a variety of modalities, using techniques tailored to suit individual clients. Integrative therapists believe that there is no single approach that can treat each client in all situations.
The main idea behind integrative therapy is that you are unique, and what would work perfectly for you is not necessarily what would work for other people. An integrative therapist, therefore, works to make a program of therapy that suits your personal needs and issues.
What Conditions Can it Help?
Counselling can help with issues caused by life changes, that can have an impact on your mental health and/ or your wellbeing; such as depression, relationships at home or work, fear and anxiety relationships, suicidal thoughts, bereavements or feeling of lack of fulfilment or purpose in life, a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder, upsetting physical health condition, such as infertility, a difficult life event, such as a bereavement, a relationship breakdown or work-related stress.
What Benefits can be Expected?
The counselling process is, in many ways, like an educational experience. The client not only learns more about him/herself, but will also acquire new skills. Sometimes, counselling involves learning more about a particular condition (e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders) by which the client is affected, so that he/she can better understand treatment options. Below are some examples of what can gain from counselling:
- improved communication and interpersonal skills
- greater self-acceptance and self-esteem
- ability to change self-defeating behaviours/habits
- better expression and management of emotions, including anger
- relief from depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions
- increased confidence and decision-making skills
- ability to manage stress effectively
- improved problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities
