Personal Counselling, also known as ‘talking therapy’ provides an opportunity to talk about some personal issues or to explore a certain area of your personal life. Many a times we consult our family or friends or the physician about our worries to get some guidance. However, often the issues are too private and/or our resources may not have the time or inclination to listen to all we have to say. In such times, it may be much easier to approach a professional counsellor who is non-judgemental, empathetic, preferably speaks and understands your own language and culture.
Counselling is usually on a one-to-one individual basis, except when a couple are involved or a group counselling is called for or. Today we also have the facilities to conduct the sessions on-line through Skype and emails as well as telephonic consultancy. Irrespective of the way it is conducted, counselling can be very effective. Various researches on the outcome of counselling shows that counselling helps people to feel better and return to their routines earlier than if they didn’t use it.
It requires a lot of courage to accept your problems and limitations and seek professional help. Some people can identify their limitations and gather enough courage themselves to seek counselling, while some may not have the courage or knowledge of the available services and may need to be referred by some family members or close friend or the GP/Psychiatrist.
Although counsellors come from different backgrounds and training, with degrees from fields such as Social Work, Psychology, and Counselling, most of the professional counsellors are members of their accrediting bodies. Before deciding on your therapist, do not be afraid to ask questions or request further information about their qualifications, training, experiences and details of their accreditation.
A counsellor is trained to listen carefully to your problems and support you to sort your own solutions. She will ask you questions to help you to clarify your situation and identify the exact problem. She may then help you to set goals and decide on helpful courses of action. The relationship between the counsellor and the client is based on confidentiality and trust. The counsellor is your professional partner, yet at all times, you are in charge and you could decide either to quit or continue the sessions.
Some of the problems/issues that people seek counselling for are:- isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression, anger, low self-esteem, relationships, phobias, stress, addictions, sexual dysfunction, physical-mental health and marital and parental difficulties. Counselling for children are dealt with separately and depending upon the age and maturity, a significant adult member or the primary carer is required to be present.
The total number of counselling sessions required is determined by the intensity of the problem and decided by the client’s personal need. The counsellor will discuss this at the first session and guide further. Most people choose to meet their counsellor once a week and have four to six sessions. Depending on the individual circumstances, the counsellor will be able to discuss and guide in order to ensure you get the most appropriate care and support. The counselling sessions are supposed to be highly confidential. The only exception is when there is a probability that either yourself or someone else might be at risk to any harm. For example, issues surrounding child safety, and suicidal or homicidal tendencies. But most of the time the counsellor will discuss this with you.
The fees for private counselling services depend upon the individual counsellor’s training and experience and of course the locality. It may range from $75/hour to $250/ hour. The costs are different for individual and family counselling, telephone and e-mail counselling. Many counsellors offer first 30 minutes free consultation. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions of their accreditation, training and experiences, structure of the sessions etc., and to decide if you feel comfortable enough to go ahead with employing the services of this particular counsellor.
Even if you are on anti depressants, you may seek out counselling to help cope with your day to day issues. Counselling can actually prove to be complementary therapy along with anti-depressants. It helps people to feel better. During your first session, discuss with your counsellor about any anti-depressants or medications you take regularly. It could help if you inform your Psychiatrist/GP about the counselling sessions you are taking, if you feel comfortable.
Often counselling is confused with psychiatry. Although counselling and psychiatry deal with emotional and mental processes, the psychiatrists are specially trained medical doctors, who make a diagnosis of mental illness and then prescribe a treatment with psychiatric medication and other therapies. And counsellors are generally non-medical personnel who work by talking, guiding and encouraging you to find your own solutions. They can nevertheless recognize the symptoms of severe mental distress, and may suggest you consider medical help if this is appropriate.
So if you or your family members or friends are suffering from isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression or dealing with low self-esteem, or marital difficulties or any other psychological problems, do seek help at the earliest. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment should be the guiding principle. Yet, prevention will always be the best solution to any problem. So to develop and maintain healthy mental and physical health take up Yoga and meditation, keep ‘creatively’ busy, try to find happiness in small things and share this happiness around you. Eat balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, drink at least 7/8 glasses of water daily, give-up smoking and reduce alcohol intake and laugh a lot! If you still need help with psycho-social, physical or mental health issues, consult the appropriate professionals at the earliest signs of distress. Early diagnosis means good prognosis!