If you’re reading this post, perhaps there’s something in the back of you’re mind that’s wondering if counselling might help?
Perhaps there’s a situation you’re feeling stressed about, you’re finding yourself in recurring behaviours that aren’t helping or you’re struggling with you’re emotions? Perhaps you’ve tried talking to friends about it but they try to fix it, talking to them just doesn’t help or you really don’t have anyone you can talk to? Perhaps you’ve got a point in your life and you’re feeling at a bit of a cross-roads or crisis, asking yourself some big questions and you could do with some space to hash things out?
Having someone else to talk to, outside the situation can be refreshing and lighten the load.
There’s no right or wrong to to enter counselling.
How can a counsellor help if they’re not going to offer advice?
The ethos behind counselling is that they give you a non-judgmental space to explore your thoughts and feelings. A counsellor doesn’t cloud your picture with their opinions and beliefs. While a counsellor may offer some psych-education, helping you see how/why your past experiences may have led to you current thinking patterns (for example), they won’t direct your future path.
The idea behind counselling is that if you’re given time to develop self awareness, to look at different perspectives and to explore the options, you’re able to problem solve, draw your own conclusions and the self development that occurs is life long. (If someone were to come along and solve your problems for you, the likelihood would be that you would need to go back next time for them to go through the same process with you.)
This isn’t to say that some people don’t go back to counselling. People return to counselling for all sorts of reasons. Different life events occur, it’s helpful to be reminded of things that have previously been helpful, sometimes people choose different counsellors as they work differently or returning to the same counsellor for the familiarity, trust and safety previously felt.
Check out this blog if you’re wondering how you’ll find the right counsellor.
