Frequently Asked Questions

Why use Adult Counselling Therapy Ltd?

 

Adult Counselling Therapy Ltd support people, who commit to improving their mental health, by utilising Transactional Analysis theories to foster long-term mental well-being. 

 

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During your counselling sessions you can off-load or 'RANT' about your problem thoughts, feelings and behaviours, or whatever situation you are finding challenging. I use Transaction Analysis theory so you will be able to;

*Understand the impact on you, using ego states and their relationship with patterns of behaviour.

*Improve communication and reduce misunderstandings and relationship difficulties. 

*Enhance emotional awareness to aid identification of stressful situations that might act as triggers for negative reactions.  

*Resolve internal conflicts by understanding self, and the archaic, unhelpful parts of our identity, while fostering an updated internal narrative that enables more positive decisions to be made in the present. 

*Addressing negative life scripts - identifying what makes you, you. Focusing on the childhood experiences and the parental introjections you absorbed during your early years, that play a profound role in how you think, feel and behave now in adulthood, and rewriting these life limiting scripts.

*Supporting Autonomy and empowerment so individuals learn to make conscious decisions free from influence from past trauma or dysfunctional patterns. This will enhance mental health by enabling self control, healthy boundary setting and grow self-confidence.

*Improving relationships through an improved use of productive adult-adult interactions that promotes equality, respect and mutual understanding.

*Promoting self-acceptance through self-reflection and improved awareness of our abilities to understand own processes and to develop where appropriate. This reduces self judgement and promotes self-compassion. Perfection does not exist. 

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If I feel you may benefit from further specific assistance I will discuss this with you and signpost you accordingly. 

The attractiveness of an in-person or online video call counselling service, is that you get to talk to your counselling therapist at a mutually convenient date and time. You get to build a therapeutic relationship with a professional counselling therapist to enable you to become a better version of yourself. 

 

So 'book a rant' with confidence, just go to the contact page or click on a link to send me a message. 

 

Best wishes

James

Is stress dangerous?

Reality is..... if we do not effectively manage our stress levels, we are more likely to suffer from mental and physical illness. 

Heart Disease, Heart attack, High blood pressure, Stroke, Sleep problems, Weight gain, Diabetes, Headaches, Gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer's disease, Depression, Anxiety, Memory and concentration impairment, Relationship conflict, Problems with immune system, Problem with reproductive systems, Addictions, Suicide.

These are just some examples of the negative effects of not managing cumulative stress. 

Don't let the negative effects of cumulative stress define your future. Be vulnerable, and be stronger than you ever thought possible. 

Is paying for counselling therapy worth it?

In short, paying for a counselling service is invariably good value for money, and here's why: -

A counselling session fee does not just go into the pockets of the service provider themselves. So where else does it go?

Professional bodies offer guidance and regulation, and provide ethical standards under a well polished framework, that all counselling professionals can follow when in a therapeutic relationship with a client. Regular membership of a professional body might be paid for by the service provider.

You are paying for theoretical knowledge and well practised ability, accumulated during years of training, and at our own significant cost. You are paying for life experience and the ability to be empathetic, highly respectful and congruent during their time with you. 

Counsellors are trained in specific skills and theories and they will metaphorically 'hold' you in the present, and help you share and process thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours and how they affect relationships in your life. 

Counsellors can suffer burnout if they do not manage themselves adequately. If this happens, clients are likely to receive a below standard service. Qualified counsellors undergo regular supervision sessions with a specifically trained professional. A specific counsellor offering supervision is trained to provide this support. A counsellor is required to pay for this supervision. 

Other related work - A rule of thumb would be that for every one hour contact with a client, a counsellor will have another one hour of related administrative work, Supervision, or own therapy to complete, for example writing letters and reports, keeping records and responding to audits. In private practice a counsellor has to consider the costs of accountants to make sure they do not get in trouble with HMRC. In addition counsellors pay for any required insurance cover in order to provide the services they offer. 

Counselling professionals may keep their skills up-to-date by attending Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses. There is also time required for additional subject learning and research, around what a client brings to a session, in order to provide a tailored service if applicable. All these professional obligations have a cost attached. 

Self-care is important for a counsellor to be able to continue to provide a service for others. Allowances have to be made for how many hours a counsellor needs to commit to per week. Personal holiday's and any sickness also has to be managed. 

If a counsellor offers a service on-line, then costs relating to providing a suitable therapy room will not be relevant, however the costs of providing a video link service are applicable and will need to be met by the service provider, for example website, emails, domains, and general advertising costs.  These are all on-going costs in addition to normal everyday life expenses. 

Hopefully this offers a suitable explanation for what you get for your money. 

Will I become upset during the counselling process?

I understand that you may be worried about becoming upset whilst sharing what is troubling you. 

During any counselling process please know it is completely normal to fear this kind of situation, and during a series of therapeutic counselling sessions, it is true, you may feel worse before you start to feel better, as you begin to off-load what is bothering you. 

You will be therapeutically held by your counsellor, through any emotionally challenging time. This will allow you to explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours in a safe, enabling space. 

Will Counselling change me?

It is likely that you will begin to think, feel and act differently as a result of gaining insight, improved self awareness and enhanced emotional understanding using the mental health tools you may learn. 

When you present your improved self to people you already know, it might come as a surprise to some of them. Some people who think they know you might not be comfortable with the changes you are making. This might be because you cease to serve their needs for whatever reason. 

Developing yourself is a personal choice. Having care and compassion for yourself and others is vital. 

How do I choose a Counsellor?

The best way to choose a counselling therapist is to type some of your requirements into a search engine like 'google' or an on-line directory. Searches can be made using your location, the type of problem you would like help with, any preferred modality (type of theory) you want your counsellor to use, and whether you prefer to work with a male or female counselling professional. 

Then check out a few websites and social media profiles, and make contact to discuss your individual requirements. 

Bottom line is - If it feels right then go with them. 

Maybe give Adult Counselling Therapy a go and 'Book a Rant' to give it a go.

Do you provide Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP's) ?

Health and Safety of employees

Are you a business or company looking to provide counselling support as part of your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)? 

I would like to help you meet your Health and Safety obligations by offering a stress management counselling service. The good mental health of your employees, who are essentially the foundation of your enterprise, is vital for well-being in the workplace. 

Greater well-being in the workplace means healthier, happier staff who feel valued and supported by their employer.

If employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be productive and more likely to stay working for you. 

I am happy to discuss any specific needs. Please get in touch if this is a conversation you would like to have.  

Need a counselling service?

'BOOK A RANT' by clicking on a contact link. The difference between my counselling service and any other, is that you get a tailored service that involves talking to me in-person or online over a video call.
 

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