Counselling

Counselling 

- Centred Around You -

  "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself as I am then I change".  (Carl Rogers)

Person Centred Counselling

Clients are invited to share their worries and concerns. No-one is asked to or is pressurised to disclose anything that they are not ready to share. The therapeutic space offers you a place in which you will be listened to without judgement.


The founder of person-centred counselling, Carl Rogers, believed that six conditions were necessary for effective personality changes to be achieved.


  1. Psychological contact between client and therapist.
  2. The client is incongruent (anxious and/or vulnerable).
  3. The therapist is congruent (genuine).
  4. The client receives empathy from the therapist.
  5. The therapist shows unconditional positive regard (non-judgemental) to the client.
  6. The client perceives (feels) acceptance and unconditional positive regard.




Confidentiality

Clients have a right to expect privacy which is why any personal information you share in therapy would remain confidential. This means that therapists not allowed to share it with anyone unless they have your written permission.


However, therapists also have a duty of care to ensure your safety and the safety of others which means that we can never offer total confidentiality.


There may be a time when we would need to break confidentiality; if we thought you were a danger to yourself, to others, or if someone was hurting you.


Therapists always try to gain your consent first and would only ever share information on a need-to-know basis.


This is something we could discuss at our first initial consultation.

Self-actualisation

Person-centred counselling is based on the core principle, to facilitate within the client, the ability to self-actualise.


Self-actualisation is the belief that we all have it, within ourselves, to grow to reach our full potential.


"The actualising tendency can be thwarted or warped but it cannot be destroyed, without destroying the organism" (Carl Rogers).


Life does not stop just because the conditions are adverse.


Carl Rogers, a keen horticulturalist,  compared it to growing a plant within the wrong conditions. Plants can grow in adverse conditions, deprived of light and nutrients and neglected. They might grow misshapen or look unhealthy but they will not automatically die.



They just will not have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and flourish.


Some people (clients) have to grow up in such unfavourable conditions that their lives and behaviour may appear bizarre. But, the clue to understanding this behaviour is to trust that they are doing the best that they can, with the knowledge that they have, to survive.


Hope comes in the knowledge that if you move the plant to the right conditions, it has the power to heal itself, to even flourish.


This also applies to people who when they come into therapy and are offered the right conditions, they have it within themselves to fulfil their potential, to give up unhealthy behaviours and coping strategies which they will no longer need.

The Counsellor-Client Relationship


It does not matter what type of therapy you choose: person-centred, CBT, or EMDR. What makes therapy successful is the quality of the relationship between the client and therapist. 



Norcross (2011) shows that the most effective talking therapies are made up of three key elements; the skill of the therapist, the readiness of the client and the positive working relationship between the therapist and client.


Therefore, it is important that you choose the right counsellor for you .

What Can Counselling Help With?

 

  • Mental health conditions, e.g. depression, anxiety,  and eating disorders, etc.
  • Physical health condition, e.g. chronic pain, cancer, IBS, fibromyalgia, etc.
  • Loss, e.g. bereavement or a relationship breakdown.
  • Difficult life-events, e.g. money worries, work-related stress, exam pressures, etc.
  • Other issues, e.g. low self-esteem, sexual identity, phobias.

 

Time

Sessions are usually offered weekly for a time limited period (eg. 12 - 20 sessions) or are offered in an open ended contract with regular reviews.


Short term work of around 8 sessions are also offered. 


Sessions can last either 60 or 90 minutes.


60 minutes session - £70

90 minutes session - £90 

A Note About Counselling


Counselling  is hard-work and you may feel worse before you start to feel better. It may take a while before you start to notice a change in how you are feeling.


Counselling is not a crisis service and should not be treated as such. It is something which you should be willing to commit to on a weekly or fortnightly basis.


Counselling can change your life for the better!


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