Loneliness is often cited as merely being a state of being alone – this is perhaps not accurate, however. Loneliness is not a situation as much as it is a “state of mind characterized by negative emotions regarding the perception of being alone” (Tiwari, 2013). This definition points to one fundamental and overlooked fact about loneliness: it is not a circumstance; it is a feelin... »
Self-disclosure The degree to which a counsellor includes any self-disclosure, i.e., details about themselves, their lives, or their personal experiences and even extending to whether they should have any personal items in the counselling room remain contentious issues. The traditional notion, steeped in the origins of psychoanalysis, is of the therapist as a separate and clinical entity, present ... »
Simply put, sexual/romantic relationships between clients and counsellors/therapists across the spectrum of psychological helpers is seen as universally unacceptable. Despite this fact, according to recent research (Vessentini et al, 2022) over 70% of mental health professionals report emotional feelings and sexual attraction to their clients and 27% fantasized about having sexual contact with the... »
REBT was developed by American psychologist Albert Ellis in the 1950’s and although it is clearly a close relative of CBT, was developed prior to the most popular form of therapy delivered today. It is in fact the first cognitive behaviour therapy developed. Ellis’s theory suggests that humans have both rational (constructive, meaningful, socially promoting) thoughts and behaviours but also irrati... »
This article describes the practical experience of an imagery rescript from schema therapy, and also discusses some of the evidence for this approach in treating trauma or schemas which originated in childhood. »
Naturally when clients attend for counselling sessions, there should be some thought given to any vested interest we, the counsellor, have in the outcome. If, for example, the sign on the door has ‘Smoking cessation counsellor’ written upon it, we can, to some extent, assume the work is focussed on actually altering that behaviour and the same could be said for alcohol and other drugs, weight mana... »
As a counsellor, you will likely encounter clients who are anxious about career-related concerns. They may be kids, teenagers, or adults, and may come from any number of social or economic strata; vocational pressure effects people of all demographics, and there is a robust literature that suggests strategies that counsellors can use to attend to these anxieties as they appear in these populations... »
Clients can, and often do, present for counselling in a mildly, or even highly anxious state and counsellors frequently use ‘grounding techniques’ for the alleviation of both acute and chronic anxiety. Here, we explore the techniques seen as most effective from an evidence-based point of view but additionally consider the thoughts of counsellors in practice i.e., practice-based evidence. »
Compassion Fatigue (CF), Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Trauma (VT) have all been highlighted in the research literature as risks for counsellors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals (Sutton, et al, 2022). In the current post-pandemic era, burnout amongst mental health workers is a subject more prevalent than ever and subsequently has been studied widely in practit... »
Many clients who access counselling have multiple services assisting them with their ongoing living, health, and social needs. In some cases, clients are supported by a case manager (or a case management service) who coordinates these services to make sure that clients’ needs and goals are met in an efficient and effective manner (Summers, 2016). »
Have you ever sat in session, listening to your client explain why they were angsty over some issue, only to find that you experienced a rising panic and sense of helplessness — because you, too, were dealing with the same issue? Have you ever finished a session with a deeply depressed client, only to find that you then felt very down, even though you were ok before the session? Both of thes... »
What are your expectations about what will happen in your clinical supervision, and what you will get from it? Are you able to identify your greatest needs to meet in the process? How do you name the short-, medium-, and long-range goals that you will attempt to achieve in supervision? These questions are important to answer, and fortunately you do not have to consider them alone. »
So, you’ve got your counselling qualification, you’ve hung your shingle out, and now you’re ready and waiting for clients. Are you just twiddling your thumbs, or are clients actually making their way to your rooms? Many of us chose counselling because we wanted to help people and also, we like thinking about the health and life issues that clients bring. Unfortunately in some cas... »
Many people working in organisations try to avoid being part of a team. Perhaps the many levels of requirements for good teamwork place it in the “too-hard” basket. Yet there are many advantages accruing to both the organisation and the individual from successful teamwork. In this post, we look at some of these advantages. »
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