I am a pluralistic counsellor... What does that mean for you?

Looking for a therapist can also mean a lot of jargon. CBT this and DBT that. I am a pluralistic counsellor, but what does that actually mean?

Well, in short, as a pluralistic counsellor, I embrace a flexible and integrative approach to therapy, tailoring methods to meet the unique needs of each client. In practice, this means the following:

I have a client-centred approach meaning that I work collaboratively with clients to identify their goals and the methods that might be most helpful for them. Clients are empowered to take an active role in their therapy, choosing approaches that resonate with them.

Secondly, I am a fan of integrating different therapeutic approaches, so together, we adapt the approach based on your preferences and needs, rather than adhering strictly to one theoretical framework.

Thirdly, we focus on outcomes. Therapy is goal-oriented, with a focus on achieving specific outcomes that the client finds meaningful, but it is important to point out that each individual has different objectives. I regularly review progress and am willing to change strategies if something isn't working, ensuring that the therapy remains effective and relevant.

Fourthly, I have ultimate respect for diversity and inclusivity. I personally specialise in working with the LGBTQIA+ community and respect and incorporate your cultural, social, and individual differences into the therapeutic process. Each client has their own experiences and perspectives and all are welcome.

Lastly, my practice is evidence-based. I am working with evidence-based methods that have been shown to be effective for specific issues or clients. I think it is important to clarify that, while these concepts are underpinning my practice, it is not more nor less what I would expect from any counsellor working in a pluralistic way.

If this way of working is something that appeals to you, it may be worth talking to your counsellor about it during your first session. In my experience, it is always worth being clear and direct in your enquiries. It is well within your right to ask about your counsellor's preferred methodologies and, on their part, they should be more than happy to discuss their approach with you. It is your therapy, your process and it is only fair to discuss what approach works best for you. 

Let me give you a practical example of this to illustrate what I mean by the above (I would like to add that no confidentiality has been breached in presenting this).

A person has contacted me with worries about their angry reaction to situations which maybe should not warrant such a response. As a pure cognitive behaviour therapist (CBT), I would use our sessions to work on the illogical nature of the anger reaction and provide the client with the framework to correct their own faulty logic. However, if this was the end of our interaction, the real, possibly masked causes of the anger response may not have been uncovered.

Therefore, while we worked on the anger response using a CBT methodology we also provided a client-centric person-centred approach, to allow the client to fully explore their experience and find the real cause of the anger. We used CBT to blunt the sword but person-centric approaches to sheathe the sword. It is not enough for them to 'control' their anger responses but equally important to realise where it came from, to give it form and shape in the therapy room.

Anger is a more complex emotion than is usually credited, it can stem from injustice, sadness, fear, insecurity and so on. In this case, we used a variety of approaches to ensure the client was not just self-regulating, but developed emotionally as well.

Being a pluralistic counsellor does not mean I am a 'Jack of all trades' but this approach allows me to be versatile and client-focused, ensuring that each individual receives the most effective and personalised support possible. 

In conclusion, it is important to note that pluralistic therapy is not for everyone, there are clients who benefit from, and appreciate methods which are more directive and structured. However, if you are someone who works best in a flexible and collaborative way, and who would benefit from an integration of various methodologies, then pluralistic counselling would be something worth looking into.