What is Therapy?

Therapy, whether counselling or psychotherapy, is a meeting or series of meetings between a therapist and client, or clients.  The client talks about what is unsettling them, and the work between the therapist and client helps to resolve these problematic issues.  Often clients are in some sort of distress, with the brain feeling jumbled and conflicted.  The benefits that clients gain are many and varied - from short term relief to a longer term difference of perspective, attitude and behaviour. 

Feelings

Therapy can be primarily listening, just allowing the client to experience and vocalise what they are feeling.  This could be to let out anger or frustration, to question aspects of life, or perhaps just to 'let go'.  Whilst the outpouring of emotion is beneficial in itself, it can also lead into constructive ongoing therapeutic work.

Liberating

Therapy can be liberating.  Through careful  discussion, clients can discover things about themselves which allows them to have greater autonomy over their thoughts and actions.

Challenging

Therapy can be challenging and uncomfortable in the short term.  Individuals get stuck in ruts whereby habits, thoughts and opinions can become ingrained. Through constructive therapy, a client may find better alternatives.

History

I believe that we are a product of our histories.  Clients are often loathe to delve into their earlier lives, thinking it irrelevant to current problems.  However it is in our younger years we create coping mechanisms which may have served us well, but are no longer doing so.  Therapy with me could explore aspects of your early life, if you are happy to do that.