Counselling

There are times in a person’s life when the future direction, whether a career path, life choice, or relationship goal, is unclear. Counselling provides a non-judgmental conversation to examine your needs, potential, and desires.

Counselling is typically short-term and is focused on the present and the future. The past is minimally considered. Counselling is a problem-solving process to create a structure or plan for how to proceed. It is very active and dynamic. Client and counsellor are like a team with the shared goal of achieving life satisfaction and direction.

I use a variety of strategies when providing counseling, the most important of which is to understand the person in the context of their life and their life experiences. Who you are and what is important to you is paramount. This is called client-centred psychotherapy, and it places you in the driver’s seat of your own life, choosing the route to take.

Sometimes, this first step in the counselling relationship is the only step needed. Once you are able to see and articulate yourself clearly, then the next steps become apparent. Getting on course and becoming aware of the future distractions from your path allow you to have the focus needed to proceed.

But being able to see yourself in the context of your own life is not easy for everyone. You may have experienced expectations and standards in ways that prevent you from being able to create a vision of life that is your own. In such cases, counselling becomes the process through which you are able to gain clarity about who you are and what you truly desire.

Counselling is mainly a talk therapy, however, at times when talk feels difficult or finding the rights words seems impossible, we may use options such as role play, movement, drawing, journalling, and other creative techniques that suit you. A variety of therapies, such as Mindfulness, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Neuropsychology, Solution Focused Brief Counselling, and Sensorimotor techniques may be helpful.

Counselling requires a strong relationship, which may take some time to develop. Some people may find they quickly trust and feel able to share freely soon into the relationship. Other people may feel the need to take it slow and build trust in small steps. Respecting your pace and your experience in relationships is most important to me. You will never be forced to do anything, talk about anything, or decide anything. Together we will explore the ways to achieve your life’s vision.