What to expect when going for counselling

Imagine turning up at the doctor's and telling them your symptoms. The doctor might write you a prescription… You take the prescription, your symptoms improve, job done.

Now imagine you go to see a counsellor. You turn up at the counsellor's office, you tell them your symptoms, and you might expect them to tell you what to do, or what to take, to make your symptoms go away…
 
“Do this, do that, follow my prescription and you will be cured”.
 
This is a fair assumption, and if it was that simple, I would write you a prescription in a heartbeat. Trust me when I say, I would love to wave my magic wand, and if I could, I would, but this is not within my power.

This might be disappointing to hear, but in fact, I am here to tell you something even more exciting.

Did you know that the research into better therapy outcomes shows that the quality of the “therapeutic relationship” is more important than the type of therapy being provided, for example, CBT versus another type of talking therapy (2002, The American Psychological Association). The quality of the relationship is more important than specific techniques. 

What do I mean by this? The "therapeutic relationship" is a collaborative relationship or alliance, where you and the counsellor would meet, usually at the same time and day each week, to work on the problem that you are bringing to counselling. You are at the heart of the process, which is tailored to your particular needs and circumstances.

From my perspective, I bring my skills, knowledge and experience to the relationship, but in my view, equally importantly, I bring myself as a human being ready to meet you where you are at in your life. The therapeutic relationship is as much about "being" with your counsellor, rather than being told what to "do" by them. 

Counselling is a process, "a journey" if you will forgive me for being cheesy, rather than a set of instructions given down to you to follow.

I have 10 years of experience working as a counsellor, and I have been a client myself, so I know that counselling can be life changing. I have seen it and experienced it, but I have also witnessed how overwhelming and confusing it can be when you are considering whether counselling might be for you, especially if you are new to it and have never done it before.

I believe that myth busting assumptions and expectations about what counselling is, and being clear about how the process works, can break down barriers to counselling. I believe being an equal and important part of the therapeutic relationship is a gift and an opportunity that you deserve if it is something you are considering. 

Counselling can offer relief from symptoms such as insomnia, low mood and depression, anxiety, relationship and emotional difficulties, and the "therapeutic relationship" is the vehicle through which the change happens. My hope is that it is a relationship in which you feel heard, feel empowered and ultimately, can go on to live a more fulfilling life.