Will counselling help?

Firstly, counselling is a process which enables you to explore the difficulties you’re facing right now; these may have their roots in the past. It may be that you have a specific set of issues that are causing you to struggle. It may be that you just don’t understand what’s going on in life at the moment. It may be that, no matter what you do, everything - and often everyone - seems to be against you.

Whatever the issue(s), you are looking at it from your internal perspective, which may be causing you to lose objectivity and clarity. Family and friends may be of help in giving you a different viewpoint - however this is their viewpoint, and may not be objective. A counsellor can help you understand your internal perspective, giving you the opportunity to really be listened to and understood. Your counsellor will work with you at the pace which is comfortable for you; there may be a need to move out of your comfort zone, but your counsellor will do this in a sensitive manner and work with you each step of the way.

Some people may think that seeing a counsellor is a sign of weakness - well, this is simply not the case. In fact, it’s the opposite; if you break your leg, you go to the hospital - that does not mean you are weak! Instead it should say; "it does not matter - I can cope". Why is accepting the fact that you need some assistance to deal with your issues - and seeking a professional who can use their skills and experience to enable you to have greater understanding of yourself and enabling you to take control - a sign of weakness?

Time and money can be a factor; in today’s society, the prospect of these issues can weigh heavily. However, the choice is to continue to struggle with these issues, or to spend time and money working with a professional counsellor in order find solutions. Your counsellor should work ethically, and if you are not getting results this should be examined by you and your counsellor.

The most important factor in counselling is the therapeutic relationship; there is a lot of jargon to go along with therapy. In a nutshell, this means working together to discover your issues, enabling you to find your own solutions. You’re the expert of you, and your counsellor is there to give you a space where you can be really listened to and understood. You know yourself better than anyone else; your counsellor can help you understand your issue(s) at depth and use their skills to enable discovery of solutions and greater understanding of them so you can take control. 

There is no magic pill or wand to simply make everything better. However, understanding your issue(s) will enable you to draw on resources you already have and create new resources required, which will enable you to cope with what is causing difficulty.

Self awareness and new lessons will give rise to discovering strategies which enable you to cope; and in finding these, you will gain a preparation and skill set which can be used when faced with similar or new issues which arise in your life in the future.