Everyone has their own story that needs telling.
No one has a life without problems. It feels nice to think that other people don’t have problems and to escape into the idea that you could achieve a life without any issues. However, everyone has their own story that needs telling.
Most people manage pretty well with whatever they have to face in their lives. Help is sought when these problems build up or have not resolved enough, causing disruption to many areas. A simple example would be sleep. Everyone has the odd sleepless night, and they cope. When a person cannot sleep, or wakes too early for any length of time, then this needs outside assistance to deal with.
Similarly, everyone has days here and there when they feel flat or down. This is not the same as depression which effects almost every single moment of life, in some cases filling even the most beautiful day with despair. Unfortunately, for some people it can get so severe they think the only solution is to take their own lives. That shows just how bad it can be as an experience. There is a way out.
People usually seek counselling when they are in the midst of multiple challenges that have become overwhelming or are beyond their existing skill level. In this way, a third party can often be of enormous help. Significant life issues, they may have been going on for months or years, can be solved in a handful of sessions.
Counselling is a collaborative listening process whereby the counsellor and the client deal with one or more current life problems that are causing some level of distress. It can be related to work, family, a current relationship or about a transition (change of job; moving; ending a relationship; grief, etc).
The process of psychotherapy usually involves a longer process and deals with deeper problems that are entrenched and tend to be lifelong. Examples include low self-esteem, addictions, childhood abuse, neglect or early-life loss etc. Many people do not realise that these problems also affect their current relationships and contribute to conflict, self-sabotage and even some health issues.
The role of the psychotherapist is to help the person gain insight, understanding and clarity on the influence of past events as the effect their current lives. Ultimately this leads to change within the safe confines of the therapeutic relationship and a more fulfilling, less conflicted life.
