Counselling is a talking therapy....

Counselling is a talking therapy which relies on the relationship known as the therapeutic relationship between the client and their counsellor. Once this relationship exists as an Integrative Counsellor Majella uses various approaches in counselling clients so that what is best suited to the client and their presenting issues is used. These are as follows:

Person-centred counselling places the client as the expert of their counselling. Clients lead their counselling and core values are adopted by Majella to develop and establish the therapeutic relationship and delivery of counselling respectfully and at an appropriate pace for each individual client.

Psychoanalysis explores the past and in particular clients’ past relationships and experiences and relates how these have impacted or influenced the present. The use and meaning of emotional transferences are also utilised in therapy. In addition, Majella is also a Systemic Practitioner in Family Therapy and completed training in Transactional Analysis which equips Majella to sensitively explore with her clients their family systems, relationships & roles within their family.

CBT examines clients’ situations and triggers along with their thoughts, feelings and behaviours around their issues. This approach helps clients gain knowledge and understanding of their issues and adopt better coping strategies and positive thinking. This can help improve clients affected by mood issues such as anxiety and depression.

Clients are usually counselled in a counselling room but they can also be counselled remotely online or by telephone.

Online Counselling
Online counselling sessions are provided to clients who cannot attend the counselling room. Some clients prefer the convenience of being able to have their therapy sessions online in the comfort of their own home. It also allows clients to attend counselling when they cannot attend in person; e.g. travel distance, sudden sickness of relatives, infectious or minor illnesses of themselves or in their household and during periods of adverse weather. Research has found that online therapy has similar outcomes to face-to-face therapy (Backhaus et al. 2012).

In order to use online counselling, clients will be advised by their counsellor what app they need to download on their mobile phone or computer. Clients then receive a booking confirmation email with the link to their session. At the start time of their session, clients simply click on the link in their email sent by the counsellor and then the counsellor “admits” the client into the virtual online room. To aid counselling remotely it’s a good idea to ensure you have your video and sound turned on, if required your counsellor will provide guidance with all of this. It is also important you have a quiet private space to talk with no interruptions or noise impacting on your session. Placing your charging/charged mobile phone or computer screen at face length aids your counselling session. Some clients like to use ear phones during their session. It’s also a good idea to have refreshments and tissues nearby so that you are comfortable throughout the session.

Telephone Counselling
Telephone counselling is also a convenient way of counselling clients who do not have the means or opportunity to attend face-to-face sessions, or who are uncomfortable with talking face to face with someone in the room or online about their issues. Recent research has indicated that telephone counselling has been found to be beneficial and satisfactory at improving the specific issue that led to counselling and can improve clients’ mental health (American Psychological Association, 2002).

To help your telephone counselling session to go smoothly it is beneficial to follow the guidelines above so that you can comfortably attend your telephone session. In addition, putting your phone on silent and disabling notifications from other social media ensures you are free from any interruption and distractions.

It’s also vital that your counsellor has completed training on counselling in these ways so that they are competent at doing so.

In Mastering Connections counselling online and by telephone is also available as Majella has completed a module in delivering counselling this way