Getting Things Off Your Chest The Benefits of Counselling

Getting Things Off Your Chest: The Benefits of Counselling

Maybe you think you need counselling, maybe someone has suggested it to you, but if you aren’t sure how it could help you, you might never try it and reap the benefits of counselling.

We explain what counselling is (and isn’t), how it can help you, and look at how it’s helped others.

What is counselling?

The dictionary definition of Counselling is “the provision of professional assistance and guidance in resolving personal or psychological problems.”

In real terms this means having someone appropriately trained to help you overcome your problems in a safe and confidential environment.

It’s not about being given advice or told what to do. It’s not about being told how you should have done things or reacted to past events.

There are many different approaches in counselling and different theories learned when becoming a counsellor.

At Irinni Counselling, I use psychotherapeutic counselling which is different from traditional counselling as it concentrates on the client and therapist in the counselling relationship.

This means that the client is looked at as a whole person (mind, body and soul).

I offer a safe space, giving you the opportunity to talk openly, to reflect on past difficulties, life’s issues and relationship difficulties, to help you break out of the patterns that you have used in the past and help you find ways of coping better.

Counselling is one of the best weapons we have against a whole range of psychological issues linked to trauma, abuse, loss and difficult life events.

Do I need counselling?

Sometimes life can seem out of control and unbalanced, hectic, shaken, stressful or unfulfilling.

This can come from chronic pain, health problems, abuse, past trauma, bereavement, addiction,
anxiety, stress at work, a difficult relationship or overwhelm from the world we live in.

It can be easy to fall into unhelpful ways of thinking and behaving, taking on a negative mindset and struggling with day-to-day life.

You may be reading this because you’ve wondered for a while whether you should get some professional help to overcome an issue. Or perhaps a family member, friend or healthcare worker has suggested you try counselling.

It doesn’t matter how you arrived here, or what has gone before – counselling can help you move forwards with a more positive outlook so you can cope with life.

By talking regularly, we can explore areas where something is holding you back and work towards bringing peace and resolution to the situation so you can move forward with confidence.

What are the benefits of counselling?

Getting things off your chest can be liberating.

It may be hard to talk at first, scary to open up, to let someone in and be vulnerable. But once that fear is shared, healing from the inside can begin.

The word Irinni is taken from the Greek word meaning peace. My reason for using this name came about when I was training as each person I worked with commented that it was a peaceful experience.

Peace can be found in stillness and calm; I aim to work with you to reach some peace in your life.

“I had just unexpectedly come out of a relationship, I knew I had struggled in the past and turned to alcohol and bad habits so I wanted to make sure I did not follow the same route this time. The benefits I took from counselling was that I was able to put an action plan in place and have someone to check in with so I felt accountable. Because of this I felt I was much stronger and well equipped to turn the whole breakdown of the relationship into a positive and have truly grown from the experience.” Dan, aged 35.

What to look for in a Counsellor

Finding a counsellor can be a personal thing for many. You may prefer a male or female, someone older or younger. You may want to see a counsellor nearby so it’s easy to get to sessions, or maybe you want someone further away.

When looking for a counsellor it’s a good idea to look for someone with membership or accreditation to a recognised counselling authority such as the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). These mean that the counsellor
adheres to specific ethics set out by the governing authority.

You may want to know about the counsellor’s background, experience, training, and amount of time they’ve practised for, but you may not.

Some information about the counsellor and their background can be helpful, especially if looking for someone who specialises in a particular topic.

Find out more about Liz 

You may want to find out what sort of facilities they use. I’ve found that people having counselling like the room to be calm and relaxing without feeling concerned about people walking in or making too much noise outside.

When to seek help

You’ll probably know when the time is right to get some support to overcome your emotional problems, especially if they’re having an impact on your happiness or ability to cope with daily life.

Counsellors are used to hearing about a vast array of problems and will listen to you without judging or belittling you. They’re trained and experienced in talking therapy to help you see your thoughts
from a different perspective.

“My first experience of counselling was after a particularly awful relationship. Having a safe space to discuss what had happened without any judgement really helped me work my way through what had happened. I’m not embarrassed about it at all, I found it very beneficial. It was useful to get my head around the fact that actually my gut feelings on the situation had been correct.” Emily, aged 43.

Letting things out that you’ve been keeping in can be a cathartic experience, purging you of pent up emotions. Such a release often feels like a weight off the mind and can allow you to begin to let go of feelings you’ve been holding on to.

If you’d like to book in for counselling in Suffolk, contact Liz Jenkins for an informal chat.

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