‘Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing.’
(British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)

Counselling and psychotherapy cover a range of talking therapies (BACP). This means that a trained practitioner (counsellor) will listen to a client (person receiving counselling) talk about his or her problems, issues, concerns or worries in a confidential setting.

Counselling is a helping approach that highlights the emotional and intellectual experience of a client, how a client is feeling and what they think about the problem they have sought help for.

Together, the counsellor and client will explore ways of understanding the issues using various counselling skills and techniques to overcome the difficulties that the client has or is experiencing. This will enable the client to see things more clearly and sometimes involves stepping outside of the box and looking at things from a different perspective. The counsellor will facilitate positive change to enhance the client’s well-being.

Counselling is not an advisory service where a therapist tells the client what to do or to give personal opinions.

It is not about sorting out problems but about facilitating change and moving forward. Counselling does not entail forcing one’s own beliefs onto another person or passing judgement on their actions or behaviours.

Counsellors must not get emotionally involved with clients nor look at clients’ problems using their personal beliefs or value systems.

Everybody is different and how one views or copes within a given situation varies from one person to the next. It is with these understandings and within these perimeters that Is Anyone There counselling service has been developed.

Education literature such as guides about mental health, emotional well-being, and relationship guides, communicating etc., which all have a direct impact upon mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, will be produced. These will be considered proactive in promoting mental and spiritual health and well-being.

These various guides will be tools in self-help for any individual who does not necessarily need counselling but would like some understanding that will enable them to make decisions about their situations.

There are many organisations that encourage and promote self-help.

A list of websites include:

http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/chronicfp.htm

http://self-help.org.uk/

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/Self-help-therapies.aspx

http://www.hpft.nhs.uk/help-for-adults/self-help/self-help-websites/