How counselling can help

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The benefits of counselling can be that you

- feel less alone with your problems
- be able to share your struggles and be fully heard
- find different ways of looking at your problems
- develop coping mechanisms and change unwanted habits & behaviours
- gain greater self-acceptance and increase your confidence
- be better able to manage your emotions

What is person-centred counselling?
The person-centred counselling approach has developed in the 1940s by Carl Rogers. It has its basis in the belief that every human has an actualising tendency – a life force driving them towards growth and development to make the best of their situation.

Under the right conditions (loving, supportive environment free from judgement),  Rogers believed this actualising tendency would result in an individual who has open to experience (internal and external); aware of and trusting their feelings; living by their own values; self directive and living in the present moment. However where the right conditions are not present, individuals may internalise beliefs and values placed on them by other, lack trust in themselves and come to rely on the judgements outside of them.  

Person-centered counselling aims to create a relationship between counsellor and client based on empathy (counsellor understands a client’s feelings from the client’s perspective), congruence (counsellor is awareness of their own feelings and able to share these) and unconditional positive regard (counsellor believes in a client’s inherent value).

The person-centred approach emphasises the importance of each client’s individual experience, is non-directive and empowering and take a positive view of the potential for growth and development for everyone.  

How do I know what type of counselling or counsellor is right for me?
There are many different types of counselling, of which person-centred is one approach. It can be useful to talk with family and friends who have had counselling to learn more about the type they had and how it helped them; although remember that we are all individuals and you need to find out what counselling is right for you right now.

Take some time to research different counsellors and make contact with them so you can ask questions to find out if they are right for you. The best counsellor is the one who you feel you can develop a relationship of trust with and have confidence that they are able to be with you where you are in your life at this present moment.