QUALIFIED COUNSELLOR
ANNA MACQUEEN
Specialising in grief,
loss and dementia
Welcome to griefcounselling.org
|
|
|
|
|
What is counselling?
Counselling, in it's most basic sense, is a mutually respectful relationship between counsellor and client, whereby the partnership of the two aim to discuss and explore issues faced by the client. This discussion occurs with the future intention that the client, with the support and guidance of the counsellor, becomes self-empowered and self-aware enough to be able to resolve their issues, or at the very least to feel that they are manageable and not having a negative impact upon their mental health.
The counsellor should be able to support the client to see other options available to them, to recognise their patterns of emotional responses and the ‘triggers’ which evoke these, to recognise and access what support structures or protective factors currently exist in their lives, and most of all the counsellor should be a skilled active listener, who in their support of the client, provide them with validation and unconditional positive regard.
A counsellor will create a safe space for the client to explore their issues and their thoughts and emotions, with the reassurance that what is discussed with the counsellor is absolutely confidential. The counsellor – client relationship should be a relationship of equality and respect, free of judgement and bias. It is often short-term, but can be a longer relationship if required. Counselling usually focusses on specific issues and is designed to help a person address particular problems, such as grief or stress management. The focus may be on problem solving or on learning specific techniques for coping with or avoiding problem areas.
Some of the most common types of counselling deal with marriage and family relationships, grief and loss, career and guidance, rehabilitation or educational, substance abuse and general mental health counselling.
|
|
