What would my commitment be in Counselling?

Therapy is a major commitment, both in terms of time and money. The sessions last for 50 minutes once a week. Although some clients prefer more than one session a week. You are also expected to do some tasks or between sessions activities that can make you practice the new skills and abilities in their real environment. These tasks are agreed between you and your counsellor and have the goal of transferring what you have gained during the sessions to where the problem occurs.

 Research demonstrates that clients who carry out homework assignments get better faster and stay better longer. Your self-help homework might include keeping track of your moods, thoughts and behaviours, scheduling activities, developing goals, challenging your negative thoughts, changing the way you communicate with others, or whatever is deemed necessary for your specific problem.

What does cognitive behavioural therapy involve?

Cognitive behavioural therapy is an active type of psychotherapy,  whereby the client and practitioner talk, act, and work together to achieve agreed therapeutic goals. Clients can expect to work actively within each session, as well as to receive guided assignments to be completed between sessions. These between-session assignments may include behavioural exercises and/or reading. 

Cognitive behavioural psychotherapy  highlights that it is our beliefs, interpretations, and perceptions of life events that determine our feelings, moods, and ultimately, our actions.

Therefore, a universal goal of cognitive behavioural therapy is to help people identify, understand, and modify their belief systems and also their self-defeating behaviours in order to function more effectively and happily.   

What is Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy?

REBT is based on the assumption that people's problems are caused mainly by their own attitudes, beliefs, views, perceptions, and thoughts about themselves, others, and the world. Inappropriate emotions can be caused by self-defeating thoughts, while appropriate emotions result from rational thinking. By learning to alter dysfunctional beliefs and behaviours, which create upsetting emotions, individuals can improve their ability to deal with their everyday problems, and live more emotionally satisfying and productive lives. Many and varied techniques are used to modify distorted beliefs and behaviours depending on the type of problem the individual presents. Dr. Albert Ellis introduced REBT over 40 years ago.  REBT is practiced by mental health workers, psychologists, counsellors, and educational professionals worldwide.

Basically, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) is a system of psychotherapy, which shows individuals how their belief systems largely determine how they feel about and act towards events in their lives. The way we feel depends on the beliefs we hold about the specific event. To illustrate this idea, I will provide the following example:

Three people working for the same firm lose their jobs at the same time.  The first person is angry because she believes she should have been promoted and not sacked; the second person is depressed because she believes that without a job she is worthless; and the third person is happy to have lost her job because she always found it boring.  The important lesson to learn from this story is that although, the loss of the job contributes to the various emotional reactions, it does not cause them: how each individual perceives being made redundant is the key factor in determining these emotional reactions.

How do approaches to therapy vary?

Different therapists work from differing theoretical approaches. The main three approaches are psychodynamic, person-centred and Cognitive Behavioural. Many address, on some level, the influence on current functioning of childhood learning about emotions, power and intimacy. Some focus more on solving problems here and now, some focus more on behaviours, some focus more on thinking and some focus more on emotions.REBT  (One type of Cognitive Behavioural therapy) examines the three above-mentioned elements: Emotions, behaviours and thinking patterns.

REBT as one of the Cognitive-behavioural therapies available, help people achieve specific changes or goals using proven treatments that are firmly based on scientific research. They are effective, often in a brief period of time, and usually focus on current situations rather than past ones.

REBT is used to help people change self-defeating or unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviours to more positive ones. It is also used to treat many kinds of problems and/or to improve your skills. Some of the situations wherecognitive behavioural therapy treatments have been successful include: To feel less depressed or anxious, to be more outgoing, and to help improve people's coping or parenting skills.  

How would I get started?

First, you need to contact meby e-mail (anandthepsychologist@gmail.com). or phone (9884335713).  An appointment will be made as soon as possible. Appointments can be scheduled for mornings from 10.00 or afternoons until 2.00 .


In our first meeting, we will explore your present situation, needs and concerns about therapy. We will come to understand whether it would be appropriate for you to enter therapy at this time, and if so what kind of therapy and approach we can use for your specific concerns and whether or not we would like to work together.  

How do approaches to therapy vary?

Different therapists work from differing theoretical approaches. The main three approaches are psychodynamic, person-centred and Cognitive Behavioural. Many address, on some level, the influence on current functioning of childhood learning about emotions, power and intimacy. Some focus more on solving problems here and now, some focus more on behaviours, some focus more on thinking and some focus more on emotions. (One type of Cognitive Behavioural therapy) examines the three above-mentioned elements: Emotions, behaviours and thinking patterns.

Is Counselling Confidential?

All personal information is treated in the strictest confidence and remains confidential to the counsellor. This is crucial for you to feel able to trust the service, knowing that it is safe to talk openly about what is happening. This strict confidentiality rule would only be broken, in most cases with the client’s consent, should exceptional circumstances arise which give the counsellor good grounds for believing that serious harm may be caused to the client or to others. This policy is in accordance with the code of ethics of the  Psychological Society.

Do I need therapy?

Counselling may be for you if you are feeling anxious, depressed, or unfulfilled in any sense and nothing seems to help. You may have tried to cope with your problems on your own but you find it hard to deal with. Counselling can help you develop the necessary coping skills and can provide you with a set of new strategies you can apply to make your problem manageable.

If you can afford it, good competent professional help is worthwhile. When problems or feelings interfere with life, either individually, in relationships or at work, it's advisable to seek help.

What happens in a counselling session?

When you begin cognitive-behavioural therapy, you will begin with an intake evaluation, which may take two or more sessions. This evaluation will help your therapist understand the problems that need to be addressed.

Based on a deeper understanding of the nature and degree of the problem, the counselling sessions will review the various situations and relationships that may be troublesome for you. Specifically, we will want to learn the kinds of thoughts and assumptions you may have, what behaviours you engage in that are rewarding or punitive to yourself or others, and your style of communicating and listening.

Unlike other forms of therapy, which are unstructured, you and your therapist will set an agenda and goals for each meeting.

With each session we review your experience in the previous session, your intersession tasks, one or two current problems, a review of what you've accomplished in this session, and task setting for the next meeting.

Our overall goal is to solve problems, not just complain about them

How long can I expect to be in therapy?

Treatment should be relatively brief and will likely entail 12-18 sessions. For more severe problems, especially chronic or long-term difficulties, it may take longer.

After the first or second initial consultation, and once the assessment of your problems has been made, your therapist will be able to tell you how long she considers you could be in therapy.

What is counselling ?

Counselling

Counseling is a scientific process which is largely accepted by many of us. Whether its vocation guidance or coping with personal trauma counseling surely makes it easy for us to seek professional guidance. There are many subjects that require counseling.With changing times our lifestyle offers us so many advantages that make life easy but at the same time it is important to acknowledge the side effects of a routine fast paced life.

In a changing world people are more open with their views. Academic institutions also appoint counselors to guide and coach children so as help them with their goings on in the field of academics. Counseling courses are undertaken as a diploma which is useful for freelance and trainee jobs or post graduate ones that are of a more specialized category.

Overcoming fear or risking exposure is another way to look at approaching a counseling centre. This can be a therapy session or a generally programmed technique to overcome the problem. The philosophy about life stays simple as all problems have solutions. Many a times we have obligations and priorities that are in a higher order than the current situation in hand. During this phase the ignored problem grows and causes damage.

The problem can be simple like over medication, coping with loss or grief owing to personal trauma. The therapy may be recommended and regular visits would be required so that the root cause is identified in case of grief therapy. Counseling kids is another professional medium to understand the caliber, financial background and support system for the child to excel in their chosen academic path.

Whether it is post partum trauma or dealing with a financial loss, counseling help can be sought in reputed centers to deal with the problem and explore multidimensional options.