how counselling can support you

what is counselling?

If you feel constantly overwhelmed, this exposure to long-term (chronic) stress can have a real impact on your physical and mental health.

Most people seek counselling with a desire to change some aspect of their lives they’re unhappy with.

A qualified counsellor will listen and help you move through the problems you’re facing, develop new strengths, and improve your wellbeing.

deal with difficult life events like bereavement or relationship problems

process and resolve emotions like guilt, grief, anger, or sadness

cope with a crisis

work through conflict

improve low self-esteem

“I would say that counselling was crucial for me. Somehow it makes you able to carry on, because you know someone is there to talk to.”

Melissa

caba client

how could you benefit from counselling?

There are many different forms of counselling including marriage counselling, anxiety counselling, relationship counselling etc.

A study from Kings College London and Maudsley NHS Foundation has shown that talking therapies can change the brain. It does this by encouraging you to change the way you think about, and respond to, difficulties.

Changing those thoughts and behaviours strengthens the connections in your brain (the neurons) associated with a more positive outlook.

The focus can be on you to direct the therapy, meaning it’s up to you to put change into practice. That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone - you’ll be supported by your therapist, who’ll adapt the direction of your sessions based on your experiences.

When neurons are repeatedly stimulated by these new thoughts and behaviours, changes in your brain take place. The more you focus your attention in one direction, the stronger those neural networks become. Over time, you’ll get better at thinking and behaving in a certain way.

Think about when you learned to drive, swim, or cycle - these are all activities you had to practice repeatedly to become good at.

And now, for many of us, those things require less effort than when we first learned them.

What you focus your thoughts on grows in the brain.

“I had never thought about counselling before. I felt that I needed to do something so I phoned and I am glad I did as it is a process that changed my life and continues to do so.”

Georgina

caba client

is relationship counselling for me?

Relationship counselling is for everyone, regardless of if you’re married, living together, single, or LGBTQ+. If you’re looking for couples counselling, it will provide a caring and supportive environment for you to work through things, regardless of what your age or background is.

Family counselling, for example, can be beneficial during changes to the family structure because of things like divorce, separation, bereavement, or stepfamilies. It can also help when family members aren’t getting along.

Counselling sessions usually last 45 minutes to an hour. You can receive counselling on your own, or it can involve your partner or other members of your family. There may be times when your counsellor also recommends some one-to-one sessions.

Evidence suggests that healthy relationships help us to live longer, boost our self-esteem, and improve our health. But they don’t just happen overnight - we have to work at them.

Relationship counselling has a number of benefits, including:

helping you to maintain or strengthen relationships
looking into relationship issues
improving concentration
boosting confidence

what happens in a counselling session?

During your session, your counsellor will ask questions about your situation and how it makes you feel. Even if you feel apprehensive, sometimes just talking to someone who isn’t involved can be helpful.

Counsellors are there to listen and provide non-judgemental support and encouragement.

when is the right time for counselling?

There’s no right or wrong time to go for counselling. It’s common to delay it because of feelings of anxiety, but the sooner you seek help, the sooner you’ll feel better.

Many people see counselling as a break-down service to help them when they’re in serious difficulty, but it’s more like an annual service - a regular activity where you can talk through challenges and see how you’re coping.

Counselling needs to come at a time where you’re comfortable exploring your feelings and opening up about things that might be difficult to talk about.

what is good mental health and why is it important?

Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. It’s about your thoughts and feelings and how you cope with everyday life. Here we take a closer look at mental health and how you can maintain a positive relationship with yours.