Counselling is a form of “talk therapy,” where the client has a safe, non-judgmental, confidential environment to talk about their issues, problems, feelings, intrusive thoughts and all types of challenges. The counsellor is there to guide this journey, helping the client discover the connections between past experiences and present feelings and behaviours.

Counselling can help overcome and cope with depressive and anxious feelings, grief, different types of trauma. It can also help to see clarity in life-changing situations, relationship issues, life transitions. Clients can seek guidance with gender issues, burn-out, bullying and all other challenges in life.

The counselling process can help the client understand the person for who they are and their frame of reference. During the therapeutic process, the client always discovers hidden resources and powers to help them overcome their challenges. Counselling is a very effective therapy in all its forms: individual-, couple- or group therapy.

Some clients might fear it is difficult to talk about feelings and negative thoughts, but counselling is more than that. The counselling process can incorporate different techniques, other than just talking to have an impact on the client, such as drawing, movement, diagrams, analogies or even fantasies.

As a counsellor, I truly believe what Irvin Yalom wrote in one of his books: “Perhaps symptoms are messengers of a meaning and will vanish only when their message is comprehended.” Understanding the messages of our mind and body is essential to a healthy life.