What is Counselling and Should I Go ?
Chances are, if you have clicked on this blog and you are reading this, you may have a few questions about counselling. What exactly is counselling? Why do people go to therapy? Do I need therapy ? In this post, we will walk you through the ins and outs of counselling, what to expect and frequently asked questions.
The first question we get asked is “What is counselling?”
Counselling is a process where people meet with a trained professional who provides talk therapy. There are many modalities of talk therapy, and it is important you chose a clinician who can provide the correct type of talk therapy to best support you. To help better explain this, think of this comparison.
To build a house, it takes many professionals. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, drywallers, contractors, architects, hvacs, masonries, roofers, landscapers etc.… Sometimes, people may be skilled in more than one trade, needing less people to build the house.
Therapists are trained in counselling psychology and decide on a modality or a “trade” they wish to become experts in. Diverse types of modalities include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Prolonged Exposure CBT Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Unbelievably, Changing Tides has therapists who specialize in ALL of these modalities! However, we are not building a house from scratch over here, rather we are available to support when something in the house may not be working.
Think of yourself as a fully built house with a foundation, windows, kitchen, bathroom and all the necessities. Just like houses may need someone to help with the electrical or perhaps an overflowing toilet, a professional clinician will collaborate with you to identify things you are concerned about or worries you may have. Depending on what you want from therapy or the issues you are having, the well-trained therapist will select specific modalities to best support you.
Another question we get asked is “Why do people go to therapy?”
People go to therapy for MILLIONS of reasons. Sometimes people just need to talk to someone who is nonjudgmental, who will listen or provide a unique perspective on a situation. Other times people want to communicate their thoughts, feelings, or emotions with someone who is removed from the situation, or a 3rd party. People may feel sad, worried, irritable, angry , confused, or apathetic throughout their day and they need support with this. Situations where therapy is beneficial include bereavement, divorce, illness, addictions, trauma, intimate partner violence etc... In addition, people could have new or old diagnoses such as borderline personality disorder, depression, bi-polar disorder, conduct disorder, schizophrenia disorder, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder – pretty much anything in the DSM-5. These are a few reasons people go to therapy on their own, also known as individual counselling. Therapy can also help families, couples and relationships experiencing conflict or distress, while providing each member of the counselling session with respect, dignity, and unbiased support from your therapist.
If you have gotten this far in the blog, perhaps you are wondering “Do I need therapy?” It would be unethical of us to tell you YES, ABSOLUTELY or to try to persuade you to getting therapy. However, if you do have more questions about therapy or Changing Tides Counselling in general, please do not hesitate to call us. We provide free consultations to everyone, and we will do our best to give you all the information needed to make an informed decision that is best for you and your needs.