A User’s Guide to finding the therapist who can solve your problem

It can be difficult to know what sort of therapy would make the most difference to you without entailing weeks or months of time and costs.

What’s the difference between a counsellor and a therapist?

When they have problems they can’t sort out by themselves, most people immediately think of the word "counselling" and start looking for a "counsellor".
In fact, as in any profession, there are different levels of expertise. Counsellors typically have less training than Psychotherapists whereas Psychotherapists have more experience, training and techniques to draw upon.

What sort of fees are we talking about?

Counsellors charge the lowest rates as they are not results focussed–typically £30-35 per hour.
Therapists’ rates reflect the added value to you as a client and are between £45-£65 per session.

How to recognise what the counsellor or therapist is really providing as a service to you.

COUNSELLING

Recognise a counsellor by these labels : Psycho-dynamic Humanistic Person-centred Integrative Eclectic.
The approach is on talking and going back over the problem and the past.
Aim is understanding rather than change. Relieves pain at first as a result of talking about the problem.
Counselling training varies from a weekend course to 3 year Diplomas.

THERAPIES

CBT ( Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ) looks at how your problem operates and changes your thinking about it. Mainly useful for clear cut behaviours and for understanding why you keep eating or smoking or drinking too much etc. Relies heavily on using replacement thoughts.
Often used in hospitals and clinics.
CBT training can be from a year part-time to a 3 Year Diploma

CAT (Cognitive Analytical Therapy ) focuses on the pain and blocks preventing you from moving ahead. A longer term therapy, it involves writing your story and life script to identify these blocks. Like CBT it is very mind focussed.
Often offered in hospitals and clinics
Training takes a year part–time.

TA ( Transactional Analysis ) looks at the way the child parent and adult parts inside you operate. It analyses unconscious scripts and "games" people play. Most common is the victim persecutor rescuer triangle. Can be very helpful in working with couples.
Training varies from weekend courses to Diplomas.

PSYCHOSYNTHESIS is a therapy with a soul in that it aims to integrate the different subpersonalities within you to allow you to access your higher self. It uses a range of techniques from visualisation to chairwork and breathing.
Training is a 3 year Postgraduate Diploma.

NLP focuses on the solution rather than the problem. It starts with what you want to change right now - feelings, behaviours, addictions, phobias, ways of relating to other people, depression - and uses techniques, including hypnosis, to harness your unconscious mind with your conscious mind so that you are giving yourself new instructions. Rather like changing your own software and upgrading it.
It is effective, fast and has lasting results. Practitioners start by identifying the core issue and then measure your results. Fieldwork between sessions makes your changes real.
Paul McKenna is a Master NLP Therapist.
Master NLP practitioners have NLP Practitioner training and Master Practitioner training adding up to 400 hours.

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION and SUPERVISION

When contacting a counsellor or therapist , always check that they are registered or accredited with either the BACP,UKCP or BAPS and that they have regular clinical supervision.