Counseling Services

WHAT IS COUNSELING?

Counseling offers an opportunity to talk to someone who will listen without criticism, and who will keep what you say confidential.

Some people come to counseling because they need a friendly ear, or a different perspective on a problem (be it a relationship or a situation)

Coming to counseling does not mean that you are “crazy”, but that perhaps you are interested in self exploration or in bettering yourself.

A counseling session may last up to an hour. Sometimes one session is all that is required, sometimes people come for several regular sessions and sometimes they may have long periods of time between sessions. This is something that is negotiated between you and the counselor and depends on many factors including the types of issues that are discussed and the purpose of the counseling.

Why choose counseling?

The counseling relationship is unique, in that the talking is dedicated to you. You get to speak about, and decide what is best for you. Counselors are skilled at dealing with emotional distress, trained to listen carefully and respectfully and to facilitate conversations that might include:
Identifying concerns and understanding how they are affecting your life.
Exploring possibilities or new ways to deal with the concerns.
Recognizing patterns and cycles and potential way to negative habits, patterns or routines.
Developing strategies and options for your relationships.
Recognizing and acting on goals, dreams, hopes and expectations that you hold for your life.

 

What can you expect from counseling?

You can expect to be:
Listened to with care and respect.
Responded to honestly and respectfully.
Informed about confidentiality.
Discussing issues that are relevant and preferable to you.
Meeting with a counselor who has qualifications and experience.
Treated in ways that are respectful of and sensitive to cultural values, religious beliefs, gender issues and disabilities.
Informed and consulted about referrals to other professionals if this would be of benefit to you.
Free to ask questions about the counselor's training, experience, ways of working, supervision, professional association including the code of ethics and complaints procedure.

 What factors can help make counseling beneficial?

The counseling relationship and experience is different for everyone and outcomes cannot be predicted, however most people find counseling beneficial. We have listed a few factors that can help make your counseling experience a good one.
For many people counseling can be an unfamiliar or risky step to take. Expressing any concerns you may have to the counselor can be helpful.
Being prepared to think about the counseling conversations and act on ideas or decisions between counseling sessions.
The relationship between you and the counselor is an important factor. If you feel that the relationship with your counselor is preventing you from speaking freely for any reason, let us know and we will support you to change counselors.

Sometimes our beliefs or expectations of ourselves or counseling result in a delay in seeking help until situations become serious. While no issue is too big or small, many people tell us that they wish they'd come to counseling sooner