Psychotherapy and Counselling
Psychotherapy and counselling are what are often referred to as ‘talking therapies’ where it is understood that ‘it helps to talk’.
The two practices generally differ in the training of the therapist and typically in the length of client work. Traditionally, psychotherapy tends to be a deeper longer training, enabling longer-term work with clients. Aiming to bring into awareness unconscious patterns of thinking and behaving which are hindering the individual in their life. Counselling tends to be shorter-term solution focused work with attention on a particular area. However, there is a huge spectrum of practitioners with various training and backgrounds. The key is to meet a therapist and see if they feel like a fit for you personally, and go from there. One size does not fit all! We are all individual and unique.
I work across the spectrum of both counselling and psychotherapy as this seems the best fit for me and works well with clients. I therefore use the term ‘therapy’ to refer to both practices.
Why?
People seek therapy for different reasons, some examples include:
- abuse
- anxiety
- bereavement and loss
- chronic fatigue
- confusion
- depression
- despair
- drug, alcohol or other addiction
- eating disorders
- family difficulties
- fatigue
- feeling low or fed-up
- financial worries/difficulties
- grief
- health related problems
- isolation
- insomnia
- obsessive behaviours
- post-traumatic stress
- relationship breakdown
- relationship challenges
(any relationship e.g. parental, siblings, friends, colleagues, partner….) - repetitive struggles
- self-harm
- sexual issues
- stress
- suicidal thoughts/attempts
- tired all the time
- terminal illness
- victim of crime or violence
- violent relationships
- weight issues
- work problems
Or, more broadly to explore their thinking and awareness of themselves.