HEALTH Which type of counselling is right for me?

Which type of counselling is right for me?


Mental Health
Jannah Walshe

Deciding to go to counselling can often be the hardest step of the counselling process. It’s something that many people struggle with over a long period of time, often only going to counselling when things have become unbearable. But what about the next step? When the decision is made to phone a counsellor, which type of counsellor should you be calling?
Counselling is such a varied profession, made even more confusing when trying to decipher terms such as CBT or humanistic. Some research does show that the relationship you develop with your counsellor is more important than the type of counselling used.
However, when deciding on a counsellor it can be useful to know the different types of therapies they may use. Although all can be effective, you may find one approach more appealing than another, or find that one type may be more appropriate for the issue or issues you are bringing to counselling. A particular one might be best for you and your situation. Following are three well-known approaches to counselling in Ireland.

Person-centred counselling
Created in the 1950s by American psychologist Carl Rogers, person-centred counsellors believe in a person’s own innate potential to make changes in order to live a more fulfilling life. The objective is for the person to become able to see themselves with the power and freedom to change.
The counsellor works to understand the person’s experience from their point of view while aiming to be open and genuine themselves. From this basis it is hoped that the person feels accepted and heard for who they truly are, helping them to reconnect with their inner values and sense of self-worth. This is what then helps them to move forward in their life.
Many people find it an appealing type of therapy because it allows them to manage the content and pace of sessions, and they do not have to worry about their counsellor evaluating or judging them in any way. This non-directive style can help people of all ages with a range of personal issues.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioural therapy is perhaps the most well-known type of the talking therapies. It looks to help a person recognise, and ultimately change, the way they think and behave by noticing how thoughts and actions influence each other.
This type of counselling aims to break up overwhelming problems down into smaller parts to make them easier to cope with. It is a very active approach by nature, requiring the client to take a proactive role, including carrying out assignments outside of the sessions. This type of counselling can be very effective for those with a specific issue, as it is very practical and looks for solutions.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy
This type of therapy embraces the work of all analytic therapies but in general would be less intensive than psychoanalysis. It aims to help individuals unravel, experience and understand their true, deep-rooted feelings in order to resolve them. Its premise is that we develop defences over the years to block the painful feelings and memories that are too difficult for the conscious mind to process.
A psychodynamic psychotherapist will help a person tap into these in such a way that is safe and beneficial. Many people can benefit from this approach, but it is best suited to those who are interested in exploring themselves and their past and who want to gain self-knowledge as well as symptom relief.
These three approaches are among the main types of counselling you will encounter in Ireland, but there are many kinds out there. The best approach is to question any counsellor you talk to about their own individual way of working. It is quite common to hear that many counsellors work in an integrative or eclectic style, encompassing various different elements of the approaches above. This enables them to best suit their counselling style to your individual needs at that time.
Regardless of the approach the counsellor uses, it is most important that they are able to answer any questions you have and that they are well trained and accredited in their specific area of expertise.

For more information, visit www.psychotherapy-ireland.com, www.reachout.com, www.citizensinformation.ie and www.recover.ie.

Jannah Walshe is a counsellor and psychotherapist based in Castlebar and Westport. A pre-accredited member of The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, she can be contacted via  www.jannahwalshe.ie or at 085 1372528.