​Counselling, is it right for you?

​Sometimes in life we find ourselves going through a tough time and it’s not always possible to turn to family and friends for the support we need to get through it.

Counselling provides a non-judgemental environment in which to be heard.   Sometimes just the act of being heard without having a stream of well-meaning solutions poured at us or worse a barrage of criticisms and judgements  provides the head-space needed to work something out.

Hearing yourself say something out loud can be quite a revelation; being able to discuss something without being interrupted and side tracked can allow a level of processing that doesn’t often occur in most conversations......

In today’s world it seems increasingly common for people to find themselves isolated, we don’t know our communities as well as we once did and our population is so mobile that it’s easy for people to find themselves with a shrinking support network as friends and family move elsewhere or become busy in their careers or their own immediate family lives.  This process can be accelerated by a marriage breakdown.  Divorce and single parenting can see people cut off from entire groups of friends virtually overnight.

A skilled counsellor can help you develop your own thought processes, gain clarity and insight into situations that may previously have seemed overwhelming.  Most people have the inner resources they need to move forward they may just not know how to access or activate them. 

The issues you can discuss with a counsellor are limitless.  They can vary from needing support overcoming alcohol issues or drug addiction, managing Anxiety or Depression, dealing with Grief and Loss or a marriage breakdown.  At times getting help becoming unstuck from past problems and traumas that still seem so vivid that they affect us as much as if they were current is what's required.

Often when working through a current issue whether it’s a relationship issue or the challenges of overcoming drug or alcohol dependency, anxiety, depression or any other issue, the act of talking about it can bring a sense of relief.  To feel unburdened seems to kick off the process of clearing the mind in order to problem solve.  The counsellor can then help you work out for yourself what you want to do about it and help you explore potential strategies and solutions.  The counsellor does not have a vested interest so can offer constructive feedback.

Sometimes different techniques will be used to enable a broader perspective on the issue being explored and sometimes skills will be taught e.g. to reduce anxiety and stress or to develop critical thinking and the ability to examine the evidence in relation to our own thinking processes and the options available. Communication skills may be worked on e.g. a client may be taught to communicate their needs clearly, or to communicate assertively.   Counselling is generally a learning process and the skills learnt can be applied to many situations going forward in life.

If someone is feeling particularly stuck they may have lost sight of their dreams and their hopes for the future, counselling can work towards re-instating or developing new hopes and dreams.

If your self-worth has been damaged or not allowed to develop, this is something that counselling can help you cultivate and nurture.
 
Helping people to accept themselves and practice self-compassion is one of the most rewarding aspects of the counselling profession for me.

If you think counselling may be right for you right now, please feel free to give me a call if you’d like to book an appointment; you can either call 0435 923 817 or use the contact form here.  I offer a free 30 minute assessment by phone for  new counselling clients.

Counselling can be conducted in person or by phone or Skype.
Georgina Mitchell is a member of the Australian Counselling Association membership number :  4249