Many people come to me complaining of insomnia and inability to sleep. When it starts to affect your concentration and even getting yourself to work, it’s generally accepted as serious enough to call in the counsellors. Better sleep keeps the body healthier and the mind more alerts (Counselling Northern Beaches).
From the category archives:
counselling services
They may be young and they may be small but children are very vulnerable to life’s stressors. Child counselling may make an incredible difference in how a child learns to accept, understand and deal with these stressors. Choosing the correct counsellor for your child is essential. Here are some of the aspects that need to be considered.
Choosing wisely
Just as not all adults are the same, it is no different with children. An important step in finding the right counsellor for your child is to meet and speak with them. Get a feeling and trust your instincts. No one knows your child as well as you do and you want to find the best chemistry possible.
Recommendations from trusted friends or school advisors are a good way of connecting with a reputable child counsellor.
Child counsellors must be able to deal with a child based on their age and developmental level. It would not make sense to treat a five year old as you would a 12 year old.
It is crucial for a good counsellor to possess the skills of listening and speaking. Be conscious of your childís reaction to sessions with the counsellor you choose, have them meet before the initial child counselling session.
Child counselling should incorporate the use of tools that children relate to such as toys, art supplies, books and dramatic play. Does the counsellor use these items when interacting with your child?
The reasons for child counselling are many, but include personal illness, family illness, sexual abuse, difficulty is socialization and learning.
Though there are many different approaches to counselling, one of the most respected and effective is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This form of therapy helps children to recognize that the way they think causes feelings which in turn become actions or behaviour. A good child counsellor will likely use many aspects of CBT in the treatment of children.
The main goal of counselling for children, as with adults, is to learn to cope with the issues they are facing. Children need to be given a chance to be heard. They need to learn that they have strengths and be able to build upon them.
In child counselling, these are the goals to be established between the child and the professional. Once that bond is formed and lines of communication and trust are created an avenue to healing can be built. We often forget how wise children are; they are intuitive, sensitive and absorb information like sponges.
Child counselling timed appropriately can mitigate problems later in life. Finding the right partnership between child and counsellor is the first and most important move towards that very goal.
Making the decision to get counselling is a courageous step to take. You’ve committed yourself to making a worthy investment of your time and money for your personal growth and development. But this is only the first step. How do we choose from the counselling services available to find one that meets your needs so that you gain the most benefit from your sessions.
Once you’ve identified a local counsellor, it’s time to give them a call or drop them an email – and interview them!
Experience
The first thing you should be looking for is a counsellor with as much RELEVANT experience as possible. Enquire if the counsellor has experience and knowledge of the issue you want to work through, perhaps some accreditation in that field.
Qualifications
The counsellor you choose must have at the very least, a recognised Diploma in Counselling. While a degree is not essential, it will be advantageous if it is in a related field such as psychology or social work. Ask if the counsellor is registered with a professional body – this is also a positive sign that the counsellor follows a standard code of ethics.
Price
Unless you have plenty of disposable income, the price per session may be a big consideration for you. Ask the counsellor what their rate per session is, and whether any government rebates might apply to their services. Medicare will often cover professional counselling services if the client has been referred by a doctor.
Good Fit
This is probably the most important aspect of choosing good counselling services. Do you feel that this is a person you could trust and be open with? Trust your instincts because you need to be able to build rapport with your counsellor to get the most from it.
Psychological Approach
There are various theoretical models that counsellors can be trained in so choose the one that most suits your own personality. Counselling models include:
* Psychodynamic
* Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
* Person Centred
* Emotional Freedom Technique
* Gestalt
You may want to do a little research to understand the differences and similarities between these models.
Consultative Approach
Finding counselling services that operate in a “Team” situation is worthwhile, as many psychologists and counsellors have particular fields of expertise. It is an real bonus if their members of their team with whom your counsellor can liaise if necessary (while, of course, safeguarding your privacy).
Specific concepts and techniques are taught in each session. CBT focuses on your personal goals. We do not tell you what they should be or what you should tolerate. We are directive in the sense that we can show you how to think and behave to achieve what you want. So, CBT therapists do not tell you what to do, rather we teach you to How to do.
