yourbeing pyschotherapy & counselling

home		Why Therapy?
why therapy? what can you expect? about Samantha availability & fees location life coaching & other services links		Perhaps you have a specific problem or issue that wants attention, or a more general sense of unease or dissatisfaction with your life? You may feel in distress, overwhelmed by feelings, or as if life ’isn’t working’. Problems may be showing up in your personal relationships; at home or at work; in changes of mood or outbursts of anger. You may also be experiencing physical symptoms such as: tiredness; disturbed sleep; eating problems; increasing your use of drugs or alcohol to cope. Therapy or counselling offers you a safe, confidential space where you will be listened to carefully and without judgment. From there it is possible to clarify what the problem or unease is, how it came to be, and to move forward. It is a chance to explore, think about and understand life, so that you can live it well. Therapy can give you a way to: understand and change addictive or compulsive behaviour move away from depression, anxiety and panic deal with overwhelming feelings find clarity about sexuality or identity issues live with pain or chronic illness feel more at home in your body express your thoughts & feelings constructively make decisions wisely and confidently find ways to reach longed-for goals transform stuck areas in your life accept and acknowledge every part of you experience joy and ease in your living create fulfilling and rewarding personal relationships What is psychotherapy and counselling? Counselling and psychotherapy are both ‘talking therapies’ that offer people a chance to change how they feel and to live better. Your counsellor or therapist isn’t there to give you advice, but she will listen to you carefully and engage you in a conversation that can help to clarify aspects of your life that may be causing you distress or confusion. Counselling and psychotherapy generally differ in the length of time they may take and in their intensity. Psychotherapists have usually undertaken a longer and more thorough training, equipping them to work with more deep-seated issues. Counselling is often seen as more appropriate for people who have a particular issue or difficulty they wish to deal with, or who are reacting to a particular event such as a divorce or bereavement. Someone with longer-term difficulties may be better suited to psychotherapy. Counselling and psychotherapy are both usually conducted on a weekly basis. Short-term counselling usually refers to 6-12 sessions. Long-term or ‘open-ended’ counselling or therapy can continue for up to 2 years or more. People can sometimes feel anxious about becoming ‘dependent’ on their counsellor or therapist, and this is not uncommon. Your therapist should never exploit these feelings, and professional codes of ethics state this clearly. It is up to you, in consultation with your therapist, to decide when the time is right to stop, and your therapist will help you to deal with the often-difficult feelings that come up when facing endings.