Counselling

What is counselling?

Baby Counselling is a process that focuses on enhancing the psychological well-being of the client. Counselling or psychotherapy takes place when a practitioner sees a client in a private and confidential setting to explore a difficulty the client is experiencing. It takes place at the request of the client as no one can properly be 'sent' for counselling. The counsellor welcomes the client into a non-judgmental and supportive environment.

By listening and observing attentively the counsellor can begin to perceive the difficulties from the client's point of view and can help them to see things from a different perspective. Counselling is a way of enabling choice or change. It does not generally involve giving advice or directing a client to take a particular course of action.

During the counselling sessions the client can explore their thoughts and feelings and talk about them openly in a way that is rarely possible with friends or family. Acceptance and respect for the client are essentials for a psychological practitioner and, as the relationship develops, so too does trust between the counsellor and client. This trust enables the client to look at various aspects of their life, their relationships and themselves which they may not have considered or been able to face before.

The counsellor may help the client to examine the thoughts, feelings and behaviour that are proving troublesome, and to help identify an area where it would be possible to initiate some change. Sometimes called a ‘psychological midwife’, the counsellor is essentially a facilitator to assist the client unlocking their inner potential.

Counselling has proven to be very helpful for a range of conditions and emotional or mental difficulties. Effective results are obtained in dealing with depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress related symptoms, anger management, lack of direction, relationships, difficult memories, personal development, and more…

“It is a risky business for an egg to be cleverer than the hen.
Still, what is in the egg must find the courage to creep out.” - C.G. Jung

How do I work?

My approach is based on a variety of theoretical models ranging from the very practical and concrete to the symbolical and spiritual. Depending on the origin of your presenting difficulty and the level of its expression different methods and ‘implements’ may be called for. Apart from the classical ‘talking cure’ counselling sessions may include: role-play, visualizing, drawing/painting, guided imagery, practicing new responses, story telling, dream analysis, or the inclusion of astrological symbolism, where the birth chart is used as a therapeutic tool in the background. Please note that even if you do not have your exact birth time it is still possible to obtain valuable information from an approximate chart.

My aim is to accommodate your individual needs and to work in a way that is empowering for you. During the first session we will get to know each other and, after learning a little bit about your background and presenting issues, we will formulate an ‘action plan’ together. This includes the setting of a goal (or several goals), an agreement on the initial duration of counselling, as well as the planning of a possible strategy. Please contact me to discuss your individual requirements.

My practice is informed by and based on the Framework of Ethical Standards of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy www.bacp.co.uk and the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association. www.cpca-rpc.ca