Counselling International

Counselling

Counselling is listed among the ‘talking therapies’ as providing an opportunity to investigate whatever is currently most difficult or troubling.  In an atmosphere of attention, respect and empathy, there is room to explore all aspects of the difficulties, to possibly find meaning or purpose, to examine goals and to select solutions or adaptations.  

Particular issues such as: crisis, identity, relationship/family difficulties, grief or bereavement, stress, addiction, depression, sexual/emotional/psychological difficulties or trauma, ongoing dissatisfaction, anxiety or doubt  can be amongst the reasons for seeking counselling.

Brief counselling or coaching can be useful to motivated clients who have a specific problem and are prepared to work in a highly focused, demanding way.  This tends to require 3-5 consecutive sessions (Exploration, Options, Actionplan); these are sometimes extended or a reviewdate planned for some weeks later.

Open-ended counselling may be more beneficial in case of long-standing or complex difficulties; duration is then not set in advance but continues by mutual agreement, with periodic evaluation. This can be termed psychotherapy in that the relationship between current problems and past events, family systems, self-regard, coping strategies, existential dilemmas, can all be explored in depth.

The person-centred and experiential therapist does not aim to give advice, but rather to help clients examine their experience and clarify thoughts and feelings, with the goal of increased client understanding of the problems because this may lead to the best personal solutions and to a general increase in health and wellbeing: more at ease with self and surroundings, able to live life more fully and in tune with your abilities and values.  The person-centred approach derives from a humanistic/holistic view of people based on respect, honesty and empathy.

A variety of languages can be used (such as English, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese; the counsellor also has a fair knowledge of French, Italian and German) allowing for optimal communication.

The length of therapy is always open for discussion, aiming to have no more sessions than necessary, but ideally enough to provide effective and lasting benefit.