YOUR PERSONAL COUNSELOR
INSIDE THE COUNSELLOR’S ROOM….
In the event of a cough/cold/any slight physical discomfort we visit a doctor, but ever wondered why if there has been an emotional hurt it isn’t attended to? There are many experiences in life that leave us emotionally disturbed, our feelings are hurt, and we feel ‘down in the dumps’. At such times why not approach a therapist/counsellor?
Isn’t our mental and emotional health as important?
A counsellor/ therapist is specially trained in skills of listening and then holding a mirror for the client to see not only the situation but also empowering him/her to face the challenges. Unlike when one confides in a person who is close, every counsellor respects the need for confidentiality.
Why is there such a taboo about approaching help for one’s mental or emotional needs? Hasn’t it dawned on anyone that most of the physical symptoms of ill health are manifested because of some unresolved emotional challenge?
Let’s explore what happens at a session with your therapist/counsellor
Ideally counselling sessions are held in a closed room, with comfortable seating and total privacy has to be maintained, a session lasts an hour/60 minutes. If it is the first session the therapist will ask few basic details, after which allow the counselee to talk about what is bothering him/her, or making the client feel depressed, sad, afraid etc…most of the time the client is the one doing the talking while the counsellor will probably interrupt to make sure that client is understood. Also the counsellor will help the counselee if he/she is having difficulty expressing or putting emotions into words, this is also accompanied by the counsellor at times repeating the statements in order to make sure the counselee is understood and also in the counsellor’s own style the client is coaxed to think slightly differently. Towards the end of the session the counsellor presents a summary to the client.
The next session….
Thereafter every session that follows the counsellor (who has made notes of the prior sessions), begins with giving the client a summary of what was processed during the earlier session. After this the client will be given the choice to steer the session as per his/her needs. There are times when the counsellor will try steering the session differently if he/she feels the client seems reluctant to deal with whatever that’s come up in earlier sessions.
It can well be said that The Counsellor/Therapist can be compared to a mirror, because he/she will show the client a reflection of his/her feelings. But there is more to just reflecting feelings and emotions, the counsellors helps one process the difficult emotions, learn to deal with them, handle difficult situations with greater ease and thus be happier, feel accepted and be self-accepting too.
