What is counselling/psychotherapy?
are(Psychotherapy is the treatment of a wide array of mental health conditions and emotional challenges through a collaborative relationship between a client and professional. There are many types of therapeutic interventions such as person-centred counselling, humanistic and integrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis and art therapy, to name a few. Counselling generally refers to short-term therapy which can be helpful in treating minor issues. Psychotherapy generally refers to more in-depth therapy focusing on supporting individuals through difficulties such as chronic stress, loss, trauma, relationship changes, long term anxiety and depression and other mental health concerns.
There is no doubt that the pace of modern life is extremely demanding at times, and it can leave us feeling stressed, overwhelmed, overworked and pulled in a million different directions as we try to juggle all of the day to day demands and challenges we face. When things are going well, we often feel like we are keeping on top of the various demands of day to day life. However, there are often times when we might feel things are not going so well, we might feel stuck in a rut, or feel like we have so much to try to cope with that it can all feel too much.
Do I need to get professional help?
No matter how young or old we are, very often we may experience minor problems or once-off situations which impact our happiness or everyday wellbeing. We can often try to get by and hope that difficulties or 'rough patches' will resolve themselves. However, sometimes we may find that difficulties persist for longer than we hope, at which point professional support can be hugely beneficial. When attending a therapist, short term treatment (3-6 months) is usually enough to help us to adjust and get ‘back on track’. In other cases, we may have experienced major life changes or traumas and need longer term support (over a year). Adult counselling and psychotherapy is an investment which can bring about both short and long term benefits for our overall emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Also, by investing in ourselves and giving ourselves time to work through our own personal struggles or stresses, this automatically causes a ripple effect and can enhance our relationships with others and how we cope with the world around us.
Counselling and psychotherapy can help us navigate many of life's challenges including the following:
Making contact with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist is the first step, and this in itself can feel like trying to climb a mountain. If you have any questions, or would like any information on how counselling and psychotherapy works, please do get in touch and I will be delighted to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Alternatively, please talk to your GP if you feel you are struggling and may need some extra supports.
I have been working with adults on a one to one basis since 2014 and I am passionate about supporting individuals at all ages and life stages. I feel honoured to be able to do the work that I do, and I fully believe it takes a huge amount of courage to trust another person with our vulnerabilities. I am humbled and inspired by my clients, and I have learned so much from clients with whom I have journeyed over the past number of years. My goal as a counsellor and psychotherapist is to provide a safe, confidential, supportive and non-judgemental space for clients to work through any challenges and stresses in their lives, and journey with them through this process at whatever pace each client needs.
I work from a humanistic and integrative, person-centred approach which is entirely client led, and I incorporate different therapeutic techniques including a mix of talk therapy and creative techniques which may be appropriate and helpful at various stages in the work. I am a fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) which ensures that I work within strict ethical and professional boundaries and abide by their code of ethics, to ensure safe practice. This also includes attending monthly supervision (with an experienced, fully accredited supervisor) and my commitment to ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) which ensues that I am constantly upskilling and strengthening my knowledge in order to provide the best quality service possible to my clients.
There is no doubt that the pace of modern life is extremely demanding at times, and it can leave us feeling stressed, overwhelmed, overworked and pulled in a million different directions as we try to juggle all of the day to day demands and challenges we face. When things are going well, we often feel like we are keeping on top of the various demands of day to day life. However, there are often times when we might feel things are not going so well, we might feel stuck in a rut, or feel like we have so much to try to cope with that it can all feel too much.
Do I need to get professional help?
No matter how young or old we are, very often we may experience minor problems or once-off situations which impact our happiness or everyday wellbeing. We can often try to get by and hope that difficulties or 'rough patches' will resolve themselves. However, sometimes we may find that difficulties persist for longer than we hope, at which point professional support can be hugely beneficial. When attending a therapist, short term treatment (3-6 months) is usually enough to help us to adjust and get ‘back on track’. In other cases, we may have experienced major life changes or traumas and need longer term support (over a year). Adult counselling and psychotherapy is an investment which can bring about both short and long term benefits for our overall emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Also, by investing in ourselves and giving ourselves time to work through our own personal struggles or stresses, this automatically causes a ripple effect and can enhance our relationships with others and how we cope with the world around us.
Counselling and psychotherapy can help us navigate many of life's challenges including the following:
- Anxiety and stress management
- work related stresses or pressures
- family system challenges - eg. conflict or tension in family relationships, estrangement
- Parenting challenges - eg. conflict or tension in the parent-child relationship
- Relationship challenges with partners/spouses
- Loneliness, isolation, feeling disconnected to others
- Financial pressures
- Bereavement, loss and grief
- Health related issues and/or illnesses
- Identity, sexuality, gender based issues
- Major life events - eg. relationship breakdowns, accidents, relocation, home move, divorce etc.
- Early or historical trauma - early life abuse or neglect, family history of abuse
- Fertility difficulties, miscarriage, pregnancy difficulties, loss of a child
- Developmental and/or neurological differences - eg. living with ADHD, ASD etc.
- Non-psychiatric mental health issues - eg mild depression, anxiety (more severe clinical conditions normally require specialised interventions as advised by GP and psychiatric professionals)
- Coping with addiction (sometimes may require more specialised treatment interventions as advised by GP and other professionals)
Making contact with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist is the first step, and this in itself can feel like trying to climb a mountain. If you have any questions, or would like any information on how counselling and psychotherapy works, please do get in touch and I will be delighted to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Alternatively, please talk to your GP if you feel you are struggling and may need some extra supports.
I have been working with adults on a one to one basis since 2014 and I am passionate about supporting individuals at all ages and life stages. I feel honoured to be able to do the work that I do, and I fully believe it takes a huge amount of courage to trust another person with our vulnerabilities. I am humbled and inspired by my clients, and I have learned so much from clients with whom I have journeyed over the past number of years. My goal as a counsellor and psychotherapist is to provide a safe, confidential, supportive and non-judgemental space for clients to work through any challenges and stresses in their lives, and journey with them through this process at whatever pace each client needs.
I work from a humanistic and integrative, person-centred approach which is entirely client led, and I incorporate different therapeutic techniques including a mix of talk therapy and creative techniques which may be appropriate and helpful at various stages in the work. I am a fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) which ensures that I work within strict ethical and professional boundaries and abide by their code of ethics, to ensure safe practice. This also includes attending monthly supervision (with an experienced, fully accredited supervisor) and my commitment to ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) which ensues that I am constantly upskilling and strengthening my knowledge in order to provide the best quality service possible to my clients.
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it" (Helen Keller)