Make confident you are on the similar web page, and get the most out of counselling with these 4 important inquiries
Beginning counselling for the initially time can be daunting adequate – but add ‘fear of the unknown’ into the mix, and that is a different be concerned to add to your mental load.
With that in thoughts, it is actually helpful to take some time at the commence of your counselling journey to ask inquiries, and familiarise oneself with the commitment ahead of you. This could be in an initial enquiry e mail, more than the telephone, or in your initially session exactly where you go over your wants and expectations.
To support you get began, right here, with the support of cognitive behavioural psychotherapist Nishat Ahmed, we discover 4 crucial inquiries to ask a counsellor ahead of you get began working with them, to make the most of your sessions.
1. What will my sessions appear like?
“It’s important to find out which type of therapy your counsellor practices, as well as what to expect from the structure of your sessions,” says Nishat.
“For any type of psychological therapy or counselling to be beneficial, you need to be able to engage with the process – and you will only engage in the process if you buy into it, and have reasonable faith in the principles to give it a good go. For this reason, it’s good to get a basic understanding of the practice, and what the 50 minutes to an hour will look like, to see if it fits with what you are looking for.”
Do some investigation beforehand to get an notion of the different types of counselling out there – for instance, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), cognitive analytical therapy (CAT), humanistic therapies, and interpersonal psychotherapy – and do not be afraid to ask the counsellor for more certain facts if you are not completely confident what a session may well entail.
2. Have you worked with equivalent problems in the previous?
It’s usually reassuring to know that there are other folks out there who have seasoned equivalent items to you, and when it comes to connecting with a counsellor, being aware of that they’ve explored this location with customers ahead of can give you a different layer of self-assurance.
“I’m sure most counsellors and therapists you come across will be fully qualified in the type of therapy they are offering,” says Nishat. “Nonetheless, certain counsellors will have experience with some problems and not with others. For you to feel comfortable and confident in your counsellor, check-in on their prior experiences of working with similar difficulties. It might give you an idea as to how realistic it is to achieve your goals.”
“Your counsellor’s main job is to help you get closer to your goals, and reduce your psychological distress”
3. What will you anticipate from me as a client?
“A lot of people don’t realise that coming for therapy is a big commitment,” Nishat explains. “Your counsellor’s principal job is to support you get closer to your objectives, and minimize your psychological distress. But we cannot do it alone.
“Therapy needs to be collaborative and, with that being said, certain types of therapy may require you to do ‘homework’ outside of sessions, bring items for the session’s agenda, or simply to have the willingness to open up. Find out what level of commitment is required of you to reap the most benefits.”
Nishat also recommends asking about how substantially you will be in make contact with – how normally will your sessions be, can you e mail them outdoors of sessions, or choose up added sessions if you really feel you have to have them?
4. What’s your cancellation policy?
“Things come up in life which may require you to cancel a session, so ask how your counsellor will deal with late cancellations or no shows, so you are aware of the commitment you are making,” Nishat says. “Every counsellor will need some ways to address cancellations to ensure a reduced waiting time for others, so don’t be surprised if you get charged for missing a session if you haven’t given notice.”
Some counsellors may well also demand notice for ending their services, and when this can appear like a pretty distant difficulty when you are just beginning out, getting an informed understanding of what your complete counselling journey will appear like will set you off on the appropriate foot, and support you to embark on the method with self-assurance.
Nishat Ahmed is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist working across London in the NHS and private practice. Find out more about counselling and connect with a counsellor employing counselling-directory.org.uk
