Some people may be embarrassed to attend therapy, believing they have failed in some way. However, this is not the case. Many people choose professional counselling and find they are able to make a huge success of their life. Just talking to someone confidentially who is not a friend or family member can make all the difference. Counselling provides a regular time for those in distress to explore their feelings and talk about their problems. A counsellor should help you develop better ways of coping, allowing you to live the life you deserve.
Choosing the right counsellor for your individual needs is essential, and consideration must be given to their training, qualifications and experience. Counsellor accreditation is often important if you are wary about which counsellor to choose:
Counselling Approaches
Psychological therapies generally fall into three categories. These are behavioural therapies, which focus on cognitions and behaviours, psychoanalytical and psychodynamic therapies, which focus on the unconscious relationship patterns that evolved from childhood, and humanistic therapies, which focus on looking at the 'here and now'. This is a generalisation though and counselling usually overlaps some of these techniques. Some counsellors or psychotherapists practise a form of 'integrative' counselling, which means they draw on and blend specific types of techniques. Other practitioners work in an 'eclectic' way, which means they take elements of several different models and combine them when working with clients.
Counselling or Psychotherapy?
Though most people will be aware of the term 'counselling', you may have come across the term 'psychotherapy' and differentiating between these terms is useful when understanding which therapy will be best suited to you. Both psychotherapy and counselling involve talking to someone who is trained to listen and there is no definitive distinction between counselling and psychotherapy. However, in