What is Counselling?
Most of the people finding their way to my website are looking for help for themselves, or someone they care about. But what help, and with who? The world of therapy is broad, and sometimes confusing , so I would like to tell you a bit about counselling & psychotherapy and also, what you can expect from working with me.
As a therapist I want to hear your story. I want to listen to your concerns, share your experiences and give you the safety of knowing you will not be judged or shamed, and that you will be believed. I will give you a place where you do not need to hide who you are, what you feel and what you hope for.
I am pretty sure you do not need my advice, but you may need support finding the strength to believe you know what is best for you, and that we find together. I will not diagnose your problems or leave you feeling you have been analysed, as I do not believe that is what you need. I know you are the expert
on yourself and that sometimes we hide parts of ourselves in fear. When we stray too far away from our authentic selves we can start feeling lost. I do not think that people are 'broken' or need 'fixing, but there are times when we struggle with the challenges that life throws at us and that can distort our perceptions and how we relate in the world, leaving us unhappy and struggling with how we live.
When we keep our pain to ourselves it can become destructive. Sadness and anger love to be ignored because then they can grow and send out energy that needs to go somewhere. This energy may 'leak' when we least expect it, or cause anxiety and depression which we do not understand. Life experiences that we hide from do not go away, they just grow more power and change how we live. So that is what we do in therapy, we find ways to lessen the impact of the things that affect and distort how you see the world.
So we will talk, at your pace and when you are ready. You lead the way and we see where it takes us. Over time you will feel different but from the very first session you will begin to make small changes towards the life you want. How long will it take? That all depends on you. Some people just need a little support through a challenging time, others may need longer because they have more to share. We will review our work as we go and you will know when you are ready to finish.
I think that we all need therapy at times, that person that is wholly there for us and wants to know our difficulties without giving opinions or advice like maybe our families and friends do. Someone who has the time, training and experience to be with you at your most vulnerable and help you begin to heal.
When you feel ready to take the next step you can book a free 30 minute consultation where we can look closer at the things you are struggling with and see how therapy can help you. This gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have and think about whether therapy is right for you. This can be by phone, or in person, where you will get a good feel of how it would be for us to work together.
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Send me a message so that we can take this step together
Email: jobirdcounselling @gmail.com
Mobile: 07305730460