FAQs
What are Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a form of therapy and method that counsellors use to help individuals heal from emotional wounds, increase their self-knowledge, improve their mental health and increase their well-being. Counsellors support their clients by using a vast array of psychological approaches and techniques to facilitate their clients' processes and reach their therapy goals.
What happens in counselling sessions?
Counselling is a very individual process that would look different depending on the therapists' approach, the client's needs and the goals for therapy. When you set up an appointment with me, we meet in my private office for about an hour and have a confidential conversation about your life and current situation. The beginning of our time together is exploratory and for relationship building. I generally ask different questions to get a clear picture of who you are, understand your situation and identify your therapy goals. In counselling with me, you lead the conversation, will talk only about what you feel comfortable talking about, won't be judged or pushed and will have control over the pace of your therapy. I might make suggestions about topics to explore and activities or approaches that we can try to facilitate your process. Still, ultimately, you will decide what's helpful for you at the moment and what you are ready for. A good therapist will develop a healthy and positive therapeutic relationship with you based on consistency, respect, acceptance and empathy. You would never receive from me anything less than that during our time together.
For how long and how frequently do I have to go to therapy?
The length and frequency of your therapy sessions will depend on your goals, your current needs, availability, your counsellor's approach and your financial situation. Most of my clients attend counselling once a week or every other week, which is usually recommended if you have an acute situation that you want to improve or explore. Other people attend counselling once a month and see it more as a check in and an opportunity to debrief about their month and process events of their day-to-day life.
The length of therapy will vary depending on your situation, and the first time we meet, we talk about that. Normally, it takes between 6-16 weeks for people to notice shifts, improvements or changes in their life after going to therapy. However, this will depend on the person and their presenting problem(s). For example, someone who is looking to increase their coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety might find 8 sessions enough to learn new skills and implement them in their life, whereas someone who suddenly lost their mother might want to engage in counselling for several months to process their grief.
Is everything that happens in counselling private?
Yes and no. A unique aspect of your relationship with your counsellor is that your therapist is bound by ethical standards that support confidentiality. That means that everything that you say and do in your therapy session will remain private. However, there are a few exceptions where your therapist might have to share information collected in a counselling session with others. Some of those exceptions are: 1. if a counsellor has reasons to believe that a child or a vulnerable adult is at risk or in danger, they have a legal duty to report it to the the authorities, 2. if your therapist believes that you might be a danger to yourself or others they will share this information with the appropriate individual(s) as an attempt to keep you or other's safe, 3. if your clinical file is subpoenaed by a court of law, your counsellor has to comply with this request.
How do I know if I am ready for counselling or if I need it?
If you are asking yourself the question, that might be a sign that this could be a good time to give it a try. A common misconception is that something needs to be wrong with your mental health for you to see a counsellor and for therapy to be beneficial. The truth is that therapy can be very helpful for everyone. It helps those who struggle with mental health concerns but it can also be a great resource to anyone who is dealing with troubling life situations or are curious about themselves. In other words, if you feel that the supports that you have in your life are not good enough or healthy, counselling can be helpful. Also, if you are just interested in exploring aspects of your life that make you feel intrigued or troubled, psychotherapy might be what you need.