What is counselling? |
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Counselling is more than just talking with someone who tells you what to do! Counselling by a qualified counsellor should not be confused with the term used by employers unhappy with work performance.
What happens in counselling?
A skilled counsellor is your guide on a journey of personal
discovery.
1. You may first work out the way that you normally deal with various
practical, personal, or relationship problems.
2. As you start to get a better picture of what is happening the counsellor
may provide options for you to think carefully about the way you handle
things now.
3. When you are ready, your counsellor helps you to choose a course of
action tailored to your needs. You can expect up-to-date information
and accurate advice on various alternatives that you may think of.
4. You will then work with the counsellor to set realistic goals, tailored
to your abilities and circumstances.
5. As change takes time, you may find that further sessions with your
counsellor encourage and inspire you to work steadily towards achieving
your goals.
Why Don’t Men Use Counselling?
As boys grow into men they inherit
from their family and society a set of beliefs about how to be a ‘Real
Man’. These beliefs often
work most of the time, but when a crisis erupts for a man, the situation
may get worse as he struggles to cope. For example:
Self-Reliance
BELIEF: Part of being a ‘Real Man’ includes the
ability to sort out problems without needing outside help.
RESULT: Men may refuse to admit to themselves that they have
a problem. They might use anger, denial, drug and alcohol abuse etc.
to mask feelings of inadequacy.
Social Standing and Ego
BELIEF: Society cannot respect a man who publicly admits he’s
feeling upset, emotionally hurt or inadequate to someone else, even his
mates.
RESULT: The only way some men feel able to express frustration
and inadequacy is to cover it up with violence and anger.
Fear and Anxiety
Because men don’t understand how counselling works they are
afraid that they will not have any say in what happens in a session and
it will get out of their control, ending in them being told what to do.
Counselling: A way of helping you to take charge of your life by getting a better understanding of yourself.
Specialist Counselling Areas
Some counsellors may have extra knowledge
and experience helping people deal with such problems as -
⇒ CRISIS MANAGEMENT
⇒ DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
⇒ GRIEF, LOSS & BEREAVEMENT
⇒ RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTIES
Can Anyone Be A Counsellor?
Effective, reputable counsellors develop
a knowledge of counselling theories and modes of practice in addition
to learning effective counselling skills from experience.
CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR COUNSELLOR HAS BEEN TRAINED BY AN ORGANISATION
WITH A GOOD REPUTATION.
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