Individual Counselling
It can make a tremendous difference to talk to someone safe and understanding, who is outside your family and social network. The job of the counsellor is to listen empathically to what is going on for you, to pick up on themes and to help you find solutions that will work for you. It is not to give advice.
Issues dealt with:
- self esteem
- assertiveness
- repetitive patterns
- self defeating behaviours
- unfinished business from the past
- anxiety
- depression
- wanting more out of life
- grief
- trauma
- parenting
- life choices
- relationship issues
- stress
- gay and lesbian issues
- goal setting
What we know about what makes for effective counselling
Research shows us that there are four important factors for success:
- Client factors account for 40% of success factors. These include personal resources, personality, skills, attitudes, motivation to change and resilience.
- The relationship between the counsellor and the client accounts for 30% of success factors. This means it is vital that you feel comfortable with your counsellor. If there is anything you are concerned about it is important to be direct and to raise your concerns with your counsellor. Counselling should be a place where you feel accepted and understood.
- Hope
and expectation accounts for 15% of success factors.
The fact that you have taken the first step and contacted a counsellor is evidence of you doing something important for yourself. - The model and techniques used by the counsellor account for 15% of success factors.
It is important for your counsellor to be clear about the way they work and for you to feel that there is a good match between what you want and what the counsellor is offering.
