Counseling does not seem to have the same level of stigma attached to it as it once did. I am happy to hear from people who say they have had good counselling experiences and they recommend it to their friends. This is not always the case as sometimes people find they don’t have a good fit with their counsellor. It is wise to shop around a bit to learn about different counsellor’s styles and techniques before making a commitment.
Some people think that people who attend counselling have something really wrong with them. This is not the case. The majority of the people I work with have regular lives, with regular jobs and regular families. These “regular” people struggle with juggling multiple demands and sometimes begin to experience higher levels of stress or anxiety. Sometimes emotions become overwhelming (anger) and this begins to impact their relationships (with co-workers, spouses, children). Other times they have lost someone close to them and they want an objective person to talk to about what they are going through. We do also work with people who have experienced extremely difficult/unjust events and are looking to recover and have joy in their life again.
So as you can see people come to counselling for a variety of reasons. These people are not weak – they are the strong ones. People who chose to address their uncomfortable feelings and find new ways to cope are very brave people. I am constantly in awe of the people I work with as I see them develop new skills and take new challenges to create the relationships and lifestyle they want!
Some more information about the counselling we offer…
Areas of Counselling:
- Stress/Anxiety Reduction
- Managing overwhelming feelings (anger, fear, sadness)
- Grief and Loss
- Past Traumas (now avoiding certain activities)
- Relationship Concerns
- Self-Esteem/Self Confidence
Counselling can help if you Think or Feel the Following…
Worry thoughts often impact how I feel and what I do. I know my fears are irrational, but I can’t help it. These thoughts pop in during the day and keep me up at night. I miss out on things or procrastinate often because of these thoughts. (ANXIETY) I sometimes find it hard to breath and my heart is racing. Sometimes my hand tremble, I start to sweat or I feel nauseous. It seems like it come out of now where! (ANXIETY/STRESS).
I had an accident (or some other traumatic event). Now I avoid situations that could end up the same way. I have nightmares about the incident and sometimes thoughts about it pop up during the day/night. (PAST TRAUMA)
I have a hard time making decisions. People often take advantage of me. I feel like no one listens to me. I’m always changing my plans to fit other people’s needs. When I stand up for myself no one listens. (SELF/ESTEEM – BOUNDARIES)
I’ve lost someone close to me either recently or a long time ago. I often think about them and feel very sad. I’ve gone through a divorce – I’m having a hard time getting past it. (GRIEF AND LOSS)
I work as a helper (nurse, social worker, counsellor, support worker, police, paramedic, lawyer, doctor, ND, Chiro, RMT, Physio, etc). I see/hear stories of awful things people have gone through. Sometimes I can’t stop thinking about them or I have dreams about them. I go home emotionally exhausted and have a hard time being there for my family and then I feel guilty. (COMPASSION FATIGUE)
My relationship isn’t what I want it to be. I know I need to deal with some of my struggles so that I can stop doing things to damage it. I want to find ways to deal with my feelings and share them with my partner in a healthy way. I know I can’t change him or her but I can change myself and that will benefit my relationship. (RELATIONSHIP CONCERNS).
Cheers,
Charlene