What is counselling?

Counselling is a process where a person works in partnership with a counsellor on issues that may be causing distress in their lives. Counselling provides a regular time and space for people to talk about their troubles and explore difficult feelings, in an environment that is safe, free from intrusion and confidential.

Counselling is about helping you to explore what is going on and to make sense of your confusion, so that you can help yourself reach your own decisions and outcomes.

Counselling is not giving advice or telling someone what to do, or offering friendship.

A counsellor will respect your viewpoint, while helping you to deal with specific problems, cope with crises, improve your relationships or develop better ways of living.

Some individuals can feel nervous the first time they come to counselling, and this can be perfectly natural.

You may want to ‘shop around’ a little to find a counsellor that suits your individual needs.

It can sometimes take a few sessions to feel comfortable and at ease with your counsellor.

Counselling sessions usually take place once a week. Making this commitment gives you a better chance of getting to the heart of your difficulties.