Q What if I don’t want to talk about something?
A You have every right to decide not to deal with something until you are ready. Our counsellor will respect that.
Q I would feel silly being upset in front of people.
A Being overwhelmed by our emotions is normal. Our counsellor expects that emotion may bring tears. It is part of healing.
Q Will the counsellor think I’m weak?
A Counsellors are ordinary people. They know how much strength it takes to seek help.
Q Don’t counsellors think everything is about sex?
A No. Freud believed that human beings had 2 main drives, sex and aggression. Today counsellors know that we are all unique and don’t treat people as if they are all the same.
Q Why will it take between 8 and 10 sessions?
A It takes time for the counsellor to get to know and understand us. S/he does thins in order to respect our individuality. Also it takes time for a trusting relationship to form. However, sometimes a client may see the way forward much earlier than this.
Q What if I don’t feel better?
A This may happen at first because you have explored feelings that you have not realised are there and you need to explore them alone for a while. If you continue to feel that it is not helping, tell your counsellor. It’s your life and your right to find your own way.
Q How does counselling actually work?
A When we tell someone our story, we are also listening to ourselves tell it and that can cause us to have new thoughts which will be a breakthrough. However much we have gone over the problem we have not been able to see certain patterns in our thinking and the counsellor is there to spot those and ask us if this pattern of thinking is helping or is getting in the way of a solution.
Q I have terrible thoughts. What will the counsellor think of me?
A We all have them. Our counsellors believe that we all have a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ side to us. It is normal and part of being human. They will help you to consider how your thoughts about yourself affect how your life and achievements are going.
Q Why do I have negative thoughts and feelings and why do I let them get me down?
A We all have them. When we are low we are tempted to let them dominate us. A counsellor helps us explore how to change how we deal with them.
If there are questions you have which are not answered here, please do not hesitate to ask. It is part of our philosophy that no-one need be in awe or in doubt when they choose to seek help. We believe that you have the right to be in charge of your own life.
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