How can counselling help?

There are times in our lives when the journey can feel difficult, maybe bewildering and we can lose a sense of who we are and where we are going and may need some help navigating our way through. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to these feelings. Starting or moving schools, the pressure of keeping up with schoolwork, finding a place amongst peers and dealing with problems at home, can all present challenges for children and young people.

Teenage years, the junction between childhood and adulthood can be a particularly turbulent time for many. The body is changing which can be unnerving. Hormonal imbalances can give rise to mood swings, feeling vulnerable or angry. This is against a backdrop of increased pressure at school and at a time when emotional relationships risk causing embarrassment or even heartbreak. Counselling can help with these turbulent transitions, encouraging young people to make sense of their experiences and better understand their behaviours so as to make more positive choices.

The Benefits of Counselling

For those who are finding challenges in their lives painful or overwhelming, counselling can provide a safe place to voice concerns and an empathetic and listening ear. Here are some of the other benefits that counselling can offer:

• It can teach us how to release difficult feelings and come to understand where they are coming from.
• It can help us to see and learn to resolve negative behavioural patterns.
• It can begin a process of self-enquiry and to see things from new perspectives.
• It can provide a safe space to express aspects of ourselves we don’t feel good about within a supportive, non-judgemental and confidential environment.
• It can provide an opportunity to express our hopes and goals and set plans to accomplish them.
• We can learn to manage our emotions so that we no longer feel overwhelmed.
• It can help us to build social skills and find greater confidence to navigate relationships at school and home.
• We will leave with more knowledge and understanding of ourselves and others and a skill set that will give us a greater sense of motivation and empowerment.

Counselling can be particularly beneficial for those experiencing:

• Fears and phobias
• Anxiety
• Addiction
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Obsessive Disorders
• Self-harming
• Past and current trauma
• Bereavement
• Bullying and relationship difficulties
• Low self-esteem and confidence issues
• Learning difficulties

Information For Parents