ON THE COUCH - 1: The First Step

In this series of articles, talk about how therapy can help as well as looking at Mindfulness, CBT and the new science of Positive Psychology and how these can be used to increase happiness and well-being.  This week the focus is on therapy, what it is and how it can help, and taking the first step.

What is counselling and psychotherapy and how can it help?

Counselling and Psychotherapy are talking therapies. They provide a safe, supportive and confidential space to talk about concerns.

Counselling can help with many issues, including, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, bereavement, divorce, addiction and so on… talking to someone in confidence, outside of your immediate family or friends can be an enormous relief and help you to get clearer about what’s going on. 

Psychotherapy tends to go deeper, exploring how we are in relationship to ourself and to others, increasing our awareness and understanding of our patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.  It can lead to more choice about how we live our lives, and can help us to heal our deepest wounds.  

What’s the next step?

Around 10% of the population of Britain struggle with a “significant” mental health problem each year - it’s so common, yet picking up the phone and asking for help can feel like a very difficult step.  This is because when we do this, we are admitting to ourselves that we need help.  For some, asking for help is viewed as a sign of weakness, as there is a belief that we should be able to cope on our own.  However, far from being weak, asking for help takes great courage – you are taking control of the situation by taking the first step towards overcoming your difficulties.