Problems, worries about your life or things that are happening to you, can often make you feel isolated, anxious and miserable. Anyone who is undergoing a crisis, or whose usual ways of coping are just not working, may become distressed. This may show itself in various ways - depression, anxiety, panic, tension, fear, loss of energy, confusion, problems with relationships, outbursts of emotion, repeated physical illnesses, over-eating, excess drinking and over-spending to name but a few.
It is thought that explaining the full situation to a counsellor can help you broaden your view of the problem, maybe see things differently and then start to feel much better.
Counsellors are trained to listen carefully to what you are saying and to encourage you to express your thoughts and feelings. These may be reflected back at you to increase your understanding of the problem at your own pace. Once you have been able to release some of your thoughts and feelings you may find you have more energy to work on the issues causing the problem. Sometimes these insights may be new to you and gaining them can give you power to change things if you wish. It sounds simple, but when we are having difficulties our thoughts often go around in circles and we feel helpless. It is the counsellor's aim to help you break the circle and begin to shape your life and value yourself. You will not be offered advice but you will be helped to develop your own opinions and decide things for yourself.
The counsellor's first concern is to build a trusting and supportive relationship with you in which the counselling can take place. A clear contract will be made between you and the counsellor about the times and cost of your appointments, and what you hope to gain from them. This will help you to feel more comfortable about talking openly.
All counselling sessions are confidential and last 50 minutes.
Life changing events have an impact on our relationships. All relationships have their ups and downs and sometimes difficulties can be resolved between a couple. If problems are not addressed, they can re-emerge time and time again and threaten the relationship itself, perhaps causing it to break down eventually.
Talking with a counsellor can help to facilitate interaction between the partners in a relationship helping them to develop more effective communication. Difficult feelings and issues can be brought up in a safe space. This can with practise, build confidence - enabling the couple to learn to change their existing unhelpful patterns of interaction between them rather than trying to change each other.
Counsellors will not make judgments or take sides and will remain impartial.
Tina Dees, Annette Moore and Tina Griffith are all members of the British association of Counselling and Psychotherapists.
Appointments can be made by telephoning the Health Hydro on 01793 465629 or 'A Time To Talk Counselling and Support Service' on 07722 023950
For more information on the Counselling Service provided at the Hydro please click on the following link to visit their website
Accessibility Guideline Notes
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