Service Details

Counseling is a type of talking therapy that allows a person to talk about their problems and feelings in a conditional and dependable environment.

A counselor is trained to listen with empathy (by putting themselves in your shoes). They can help you deal with any negative thoughts and feelings you have. Sometimes the term “Counseling” is used to refer to talking therapies in general, but counseling is also a type of therapy of its own right.

Other psychological therapies include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and relationship therapy, which can be between members of a family, a couple, or work colleagues.

What is counseling used for?
Talking therapies such as counseling can be used to help with many deferent mental health conditions, including:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Long term illnesses
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• Drug misuse

How counseling can help?
Counseling aims to help you deal with and overcome issues that are causing emotional pain or making you feel uncomfortable. It can provide a safe and regular space for you to talk and explore difficult feelings. The counselor is there to support you and respect your views. They won’t usually give advice, will help you to find your own insights into and understanding your problems.

Counseling can help you!
• Cope with a bereavement or relationship breakdown
• Cope with redundancy or work related stress
• Explore issues such as sexual identity
• Deal with issues preventing you in achieving your ambitions
• Deal with feelings of depression or sadness, and have a more positive look on life
• Deal with feelings of anxiety, helping you worry less about things
• Understand yourself and your problems better
• Feel with more confidence
• Develop a better understanding of other people’s viewpoint.

Counseling can often involve talking about difficult or painful feelings, and as you begin to face them, you may feel worse in some ways. However, with the help and support your therapist, you should gradually start to feel better.

In most cases, it takes a number of sessions before the counseling starts to make a difference, and a regular commitment is required to make the best use of the therapy.

What to expect from counseling?
During your counseling sessions, you’ll be encouraged to express your feelings and emotions. By discussing your concerns with you, the counselor can help you gain a better understanding of your feelings and thought processes, as well as identifying ways of finding your own solutions to problems. It can be a great relief to share your worries and fears with someone who acknowledges your feelings and is able to help you reach a positive solution.

Counseling can take place:
• Face to face
• Individually or in a group
• Over the phone
• By email
• Using a specialized computer program

You may be offered counseling as a single session, as a short course of sessions over a few weeks or months, or a longer course that lasts for several months or years.

Who provides counseling?
Different healthcare professionals may be trained in counseling or qualified to provide psychological therapies. These include:
• Counselor
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist
• Psychotherapist