Does relationship counselling work? How about individual therapy for anxiety and depression. Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney, a leading service provider, answers your questions about counselling therapy.
A common question asked by our clients is: ‘Does counselling really work?’ Like our clients, you could be looking for help with your relationship, with anxiety or stress, or perhaps low mood or depression. Whatever the reasons causing your concern, there’s good news: clinical counselling is proven to help those with complaints like anxiety and depression. And importantly also, counselling for marriage or couple issues is a validated treatment for assisting couples to improve their relationship.
Counselling: How does it work?
There are a number of types of modalities that counsellors can use to help you. The chosen mode will largely depend on a counsellors training and their judgement of your issues. Some of the best validated treatments for anxiety and depression include cognitive behavioural therapy. This therapy works by thinking in depth about behaviours and thoughts that currently increase your level of anxiety or depression, and help you to overcome this patterned response. For instance, those who experience anxiety could be telling themselves things like: ‘I won’t be able to make it’, or ‘I’ll be terribly embarrassed if people see how nervous I am’. Such beliefs are identified together with your therapist, and changed, positive self-representations are then used to challenge these beliefs. With continued practice and perhaps some skills training such as relaxation, positive results are experienced by most people.
Can relationship counselling really help my partnership?
It’s important to accept that relationships are fluid -they go through phases, from the initial honeymoon stage to a maturing of the relationships. For many couples, as a relationship matures, so do lifestyle demands and responsibility, whether it’s in the form of increased work pressure or children coming into the family, etc. As these pressures increase, the partners in the relationship may no longer be able to accommodate each other’s emotional needs, and conflict may develop – usually into frequent and recurring arguments. Relationship counselling helps each person to learn to calm their own distress, whilst also learning to identify and bring out into the open any underlying needs that are not being satisfied. Partners are able to begin to negotiate what they can do for each other and which demands may need to go unmet. A new, more realistic life plan is recognised and can be worked with.
What issues can our therapists help with?
Therapists and psychologists are familiar with assisting with a wide range of issues including anxiety or stress, depression or sadness, marriage and couple issues, grief and bereavement, addictions, anger management, eating disorders and many other complaints of modern living.
How should I choose a counsellor or psychologist?
Contact a registered counsellor or psychologist for a start to a better life. These licenced mental health professionals can work with you to overcome emotional challenges. Depending on the country you are in you can seek assistance from the professional body which registers psychologists or counsellors in your state. In Australia, Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney can connect you with a registered therapist near you.
Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney – psychologist services including, cognitive behavior therapy, general counselling, psychology and marriage counselling Sydney. Call (02)8205 0566 or visit 418/185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney 2000.