WHAT IS COUNSELLING?

Counselling gives you the opportunity to talk and be heard in a neutral, safe and confidential setting. You will be able to explore issues in your life and encouraged to talk about them freely. Together you can reflect on how you respond to life events, which can enable you to become more in control of your life. Counselling's aim is to look at problems in a different way with someone who will respect and encourage your opinions and decisions.

All of us experience difficulties and challenges in our lives. Often, we can address them on our own or with the help of friends or family. However, there are times when counselling can be most helpful.

Bottled up feelings can be very intense and pressures can build up to the point that life can seem to be hardly worth living. However difficult, disastrous or embarrassing your situation may seem you can be sure that whatever you bring will be treated with respect. Christine Pyatt offers a caring and practical approach to Counselling, enabling you to explore and identify coping strategies during the Counselling sessions, for example relaxation techniques and assertiveness training.

The Counselling method employed is integrative, drawing from a variety of Counselling models; cognitive-behavioural, transactional analysis, person-centred and psycho-dynamic therapies.

Counselling is appropriate for a wide range of relationship and personal problems including:

• Relationship issues
• Stress
• Feelings of anxiety
• Depression
• Anger Management
• Low self esteem
• Bereavement
• Divorce
• Life changes
• Social Phobia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Panic attacks
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Abuse (mental, physical, sexual)
• Eating disorders

FIRST APPOINTMENT

The first counselling session is an assessment where you explore your needs, expectations, highlighting the areas and issues you wish to address. You will also have the opportunity to discuss the Counselling process. Appropriate handouts will be provided, for example The Grief Wheel, Stress and Anger Management leaflets. Each session is 50 minutes. Most of our clients come once a week or once a fortnight. The recommended course of treatment is on average between six and eight sessions.

It may be discovered that another Counsellor, Clinical Psychologist or agency has specialist skills more suited to your particular needs, and with your agreement an appropriate referral will be made.