The Counselling Process

Counselling is often described as a journey, and for good reason. A journey has three distinct phases;

  • Planning – Before embarking on the counselling journey we will explore your worries, hopes and goals, and discuss the various paths that could lead you to your desired destinations. Talk therapy is one option, however I usually incorporate more creative modalities into our work together depending on what you connect with most easily. The planning conversation usually occurs in the first session, with progress and goals being reviewed regularly during the second phase.
  • Travelling – With the goals in mind, we meet regularly to process a little more each week/fortnight to gradually work toward the destination we discussed in the first session. As mentioned, the progress made so far, as well as the ongoing relevance of the goals is regularly reviewed during this phase of our journey. Often the goals we establish in the first session are adjusted in some way by the end of our journey.
  • Settling in to the new location – Once we have achieved the goals for this journey, we review the progress and changes from our times together, and reinforce new ways of being and doing life. This is also a time of planning practical strategies for the future to ensure that new strengths and habits are able to be practiced and sources of support are identified before they are needed

Counselling is not:

  • A magical solution that will stop life from being hard.
    • Rather it is an opportunity for your counsellor to guide you on your journey of healing and growth, equipping you with the tools and strategies to overcome life’s hurdles.
  • A place to be told how to live your life.
    • The destination should always be determined by your hopes and goals.
  • A space where you will be judged.
    • All people have difficult seasons in their life, sometimes these are caused by the actions of another person or people, and a counsellor will accept you as a person who has value and help you to navigate your way through whatever it is that is holding you back from living your best life.