10 reasons why you might need to see a counsellor

There are many reasons why counselling is a great option for helping you get through difficult situations. It can be so helpful to talk to someone who is not a close friend or family. There is sometimes fear of being judged or of people simply not understanding what you are going through, so having someone to open up to, someone who you are not emotionally responsible for, can be an incredibly helpful tool.

There is no shame in reaching out to a counsellor for some additional support. In fact, you will learn the power of talking about your feelings, you will explore new techniques to help you maintain control of your emotions, and you will get relief from issues while gaining a greater understanding of yourself.

The stigma of therapy

Making the choice to see a counsellor is not easy, there is still so much stigma attached the decision. Many people believe that accessing counselling is a sign of weakness, only for people with serious mental health issues, or that talking about problems couldn't possibly make them go away. None of this could be further from the truth!

Counselling is a wonderful tool, to be used by anyone, as a way to make sense of difficult, complicated or ambiguous circumstances. It can also be used as a form of ongoing self-care, and many people use therapy as a form of mental health maintenance. Prioritising your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health, it requires ongoing attention and should not ever be neglected.

I have put together a list of the top 10 reasons why counselling might be right for your situation.

10 reasons that counselling might be for you!

Anxiety or health anxiety

Anxiety is a growing issue; the pressures of life seem to be ever growing and it can sometimes feel quite overwhelming. Some people find themselves suddenly overwhelmed with worry, even if they have never experienced it before or it can build up over time. Even people who are predisposed to worry, can find that it feels a bit different than before, and might need to seek support when they've always been able to manage in the past.

If managing your worries or fears begins to take up quite a lot of energy, interferes with everyday tasks, makes it difficult for you to leave your house, or if you find it difficult to participate in things you normally find enjoyable then counselling might be for you. We will explore your worries, break that cycle of fear, and you will learn new techniques that will help you manage these feelings going forward.

If you are feeling particularly anxious about your health or about the health of others, and find it impacts your life in a negative way, then counselling can help you find the root cause of your fears.  

Family Issues

Family problems and communication issues are a very common reason to come to counselling. We can explore issues relating to a single event or repeating patterns of behaviour that affect your family relationships over time. You can come on your own, with a partner, with another family member, or we can even arrange group sessions. Family issues is a broad term for many things, such as family breakdown, separation, blending families, sexual dysfunction, historical abuse, addiction, or difficult communication with children. It also includes working through difficult situations that may have happened in childhood, or that relate to difficult parental or family relationships from the past.

This can also include counselling for children and young people, who might be struggling as a result of any of the issues mentioned above or are experiencing stress or anxiety in their lives due to school, peer problems, or bullying.

Low self-esteem

Counselling is an excellent opportunity to learn how to reorder the negative self-talk that keeps someone from living as the best possible version of themselves. We can examine the situations, relationships, or individual characteristics that contribute to your negative self-image and learn different techniques to help you think in a more positive light.

Fertility problems

If an individual or couple are struggling to conceive, having repeated miscarriages, or undergoing fertility treatment, then counselling will certainly help them work through those difficult emotions. This can include things such as IVF, ICSI, IUI, vaginismus, endometriosis, and PCOS. Fertility counselling is also useful for same sex couples you need a place to explore the different options available to them and to help them explore their feelings and experience of family planning.

If you are being treated by a clinic and would like to source your own independent implications report for the use of donor gametes, then the session with me also includes the report which will satisfy the statutory requirements for you clinic. 

** fertility counselling requires additional training, so please have a look for BICA approved counsellors for this type of work **

Depression

Depression is something that can range from mild, to completely debilitating. It can affect your mood, cause lack of interest in the things you normally enjoy, low energy, low self-worth, and can disrupt your ability to concentrate and even sleep. Some people might only feel depressed for a single short time in their life, for others it can last months or even years. Counselling can help you look at the root cause of your feelings and help you find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Bereavement

Unfortunately, bereavement is a natural part of life, that we will all have to face at some point in our lives. Whether it is the sad loss of a partner, parent, child, friend, pet, or acquaintance, the experience of grief can be very overwhelming. Counselling will give you the opportunity to express your grief in a constructive way, in a place free from judgement, where you can explore your loss, understand how it is affecting your life, and eventually come to a place of acceptance. There is something very helpful about talking about your loss with someone outside of the situation who can help you unravel the chaos that follows many losses.

Trauma

Trauma is the psychological damage that occurs as a result of a singular event, such as a sexual assault or road traffic accident, or as a result of repeated exposure to a traumatic situation such as long-term abuse, or war. There are different types of trauma from Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), which affects someone for a short period of time, to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or complex PTSD, which can last for months or years. It can cause many problems, from disrupted sleep patterns, nightmares, nausea, to full blown panic attacks, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. Counselling can help you process the emotions that the trauma has left you with, will help you stabilize these feelings, and can help you to a place where you are no longer being led by the pain you have experienced.

** it is important to make sure your counsellor is trauma informed **

Life changes

Counselling can be useful to make sense of any situation that is causing significant change to everyday life. This can be anything from moving cities or countries, getting married or divorced, having children or watching your children grow and move out. It is also important to remember that any significant change can be difficult to manage, even good changes because they all require a certain level of psychological flexibility.

Chronic health issues

If you are newly diagnosed or were diagnosed many moons ago, counselling can help you develop excellent self-awareness and the strong mindset it takes to help you live well with an illness. You do not have to be defined by your illness and counselling can explore proactive ways to manage the stresses that day to day health management may cause and can help you gain a more positive and embodied outlook to your situation.

This type of counselling is useful for both patients or family and friends who might find it difficult to come to terms with a chronic illness. 

End of life support

For people with life limiting illness or in palliative care, counselling can help patients face any fears regarding death, can help maintain hope, make amends, and can assist in exploring their feelings in a way that encourages emotional and spiritual preparedness for death.

This type of counselling is useful for the patients or for family and friends who might find it difficult to live with the terminal diagnosis of a loved one.

** it might be useful to find a counsellor with palliative experience **

Akeso Counselling

If any of the above struck a chord with you then please get in touch! I always offer a free discovery call, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions so you can confidently book that 1st appointment.

When you chose me as a counsellor, rest assured that my highest priority is always my clients and your wellbeing comes first. I work very hard to ensure that I have the most relevant and up to date information at hand to help me serve you as best I can. I sincerely believe you are the expert in your own life, I'm just there to help you unravel whatever issue is causing you problems, helping you put your best foot forward. 

Covid 19 is making face to face work difficult at the moment, but I am still offering telephone, Zoom, or walk and talk sessions! I offer some evening and Saturday zoom sessions to make counselling as accessible as possible, please don't let a busy schedule hold you back from accessing support.

Jamie x