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Counselling is a process which enables a person to bring about change and transformation in their life.

Counselling is usually performed face-to-face in regular confidential sessions between the counsellor and the client.

The counsellor creates a safe space for the client which is accepting and non-judgemental. The counsellor helps the client to become aware of their own experience, to come to an understanding of that experience and to make choices and decisions about what their values and beliefs are, and how they want to think, feel and behave. Counselling aims to support a person in finding an approach that works for them.

Many people seek counselling at times of change or crisis in their lives. Past experiences or current situations may be preventing a person from moving forward with their life. Counselling can also be helpful at any time of life as a method for increasing our understanding of ourselves and others.

Counselling can be short- or long-term depending on what the client wants to address.

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Who can Benefit from Counselling?

We seek counselling for various reasons.

There are times when we do not know how to move forward. We may feel overwhelmed, lost, alone or stuck. We may not understand what is happening to us. We may feel we no longer know who we are. We may not know how to make the changes we want to make in our lives.

We may be able to identify a specific experience as causing our distress or we may be experiencing symptoms which are making it difficult for us to live life fully.

Some of the reasons people may seek counselling are:

  • Depression
  • Abuse or neglect (past and present - emotional, physical, sexual)
  • Trauma and violence
  • Work problems / stress
  • Relationship issues / breakdown
  • Unemployment and debt
  • Low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Bereavement, loss and separation
  • Gender, sexuality and identity issues
  • Ill health
  • Addictions, obsessions and compulsions
  • Eating disorders
  • Self-harm
  • Feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness
  • Loss of feelings
  • Anger, rage, jealousy and feeling out of control
  • Sleeplessness, fatigue, confusion and inability to function in daily tasks
  • The pain of not being heard, understood or accepted

…but people may seek counselling for other reasons

A counselling session is not going to provide a miracle ‘cure’ for the problems you are facing. Counselling can help you to live life more fully and freely, to enjoy your life and relationships and to become the person you would hope to be.