FAQ

How talking to a counsellor can help

You may feel that no one who understands what you are going through, or you are afraid that your friends and loved ones are getting bored with your problems. Maybe you feel you need a professional to listen to your difficulty. Counselling is invaluable if you want a safe place to talk about past experiences or current difficulties that are affecting your quality of life.

At CJK counselling a we will listen carefully and attentively to your problems without judgement. We will not take charge or tell you what to do, but we will help you to change by offering a different outlook on your situation. We will help you to identify your strengths, helping you to help yourself, so that you will not need counselling forever!

What kind of problems can I bring to counselling?

People come to counselling with a wide variety of issues, including:

• stress or anxiety
• low mood or depression
• difficulties in your relationships with partners, family or friends
• problems with anger
• struggles with body image
• loss or bereavement
• trauma
• physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• domestic violence
• difficulties at work or with your studies
• loss of meaning in your life

What do I have to do as a client?

Counselling is most likely to help you when:

• You are able and willing to be honest with your counsellor
• You are able to clearly identify what you want from your therapy
• You are able to examine the roots of your difficulties and are willing to explore what might be contributing to them (rather than simply expecting other people to change)

Counselling is a confidential and contracted opportunity for you to talk about the things that are troubling you. 

Confidential means your counsellor will not pass on anything you say, or even the fact that they are seeing you for counselling, to anyone else except in certain specific circumstances which he/she will tell you about. 

Contracted means that you make an agreement with your counsellor to meet at a specific time and place, usually once a week, to explore the issues that you wish to bring. Many counsellors will write this agreement down, and you may be asked to sign it.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions will be discussed between you and your counsellor at the beginning, and can be reviewed as you go along. Short-term counselling provides a chance to do some practical problem-solving and action-planning. Longer-term counselling creates an opportunity for you to identify and explore deep-rooted patterns or difficulties at your own pace. At CJK counselling we offer a block of 4 or 6 sessions to start with so you can get used to the process and assess whether it is helping you before you commit to coming for longer.

How will I know if counselling is right for me?

Research shows that it tends to be the quality of the relationship between you and your counsellor that makes the difference, rather than the theory or technique they use. For this reason, it is important to have all the information you need to make an informed choice about who you work with and how. Don't be afraid to "shop around" and ask questions until you are confident you have found someone you can work with. For the same reason, if you've had counselling before and didn't find it useful, you may still find it helpful to try again with a different person.