What is Counselling?

Counselling is a form of therapy where you will talk with a trained professional on a confidential one-to-one basis about your feelings and struggles. It is a way of changing your mindset and has positive effects on mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress and more. Counselling is not about receiving direct advice, but to have someone to reflect back what you are saying very often leads to “light bulb” moments, and positive change can be made.

In a session at Dawlish Counselling, you will be listened to without judgement at your own pace, in a safe environment. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from counselling as a means to manage emotions and to obtain the strategies to deal with life’s struggles. You do not have to have a diagnosed mental health issue to seek therapy and there is no shame in admitting you are not okay.

I am trained in several approaches to counselling and will tailor the style of the session to best suit your needs. These approaches include, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Person Centered Therapy and Neural Linguistic Programming. Everyone is unique and together we can find the best approach for you.

It was some years ago when I worked with a class of Year Elevens preparing for their upcoming GCSE exams. I witnessed first-hand the enormous pressure our young people are under to perform highly. I thought, how can our young people be expected to achieve academic success when so many struggle with underlying emotional issues that inhibit them from concentrating in class? Surely, the personal wellbeing of our children and teenagers must be made a priority in order for them to cope with everyday challenges.

In the UK alone there is an estimated 850,000 young people that are currently suffering with some form of mental health problem, though the true figure may be more. Adolescence can be an extremely challenging time of transition which can impact on relationships, self-esteem and mental wellbeing. Unaddressed poor mental health can lead to poor physical health, low educational achievement, drug and alcohol abuse, self-harm, teenage pregnancy, anxiety, depression and shortened life expectancy.

It is vital that every young person is able to voice their frustrations, fears and worries to someone they feel safe with and respected by. Sometimes it helps to speak to somebody outside of their immediate friends and family unit who can show compassion and take their problems seriously.

I hold an Advanced Specialist Diploma in Counselling Children and Young People, and can offer short-term or ongoing counselling to young people to help them navigate their way through this emotionally challenging time of their lives. I will meet with both the guardian and young person for an initial meeting, where we will further discuss confidentiality and boundaries.