Counselling is a very broad term used in conjunction with many types of advice giving. In the context of therapy however, counsellors rarely offer advice, it is the active process of assisting and guiding clients, by a trained professional to understand and resolve personal, social, or psychological problems and difficulties. Counselling is generally used to denote a relatively brief treatment focusing on specific problems.
Psychotherapy, also called “talk therapy” is usually a longer-term treatment aiming at gaining insight into mental or emotional health, the resolution of inner conflicts, and an enhancement of your relationship with yourself and others.
The therapeutic relationship between a therapist/counsellor and a client is strictly professional and the therapeutic relationship differs from all other relationships. You can tell therapists things without having to worry about your information being told to others or in any way affecting your job, family or relationships. You can be honest with therapists without having to worry about offending friends or family. When a therapist asks how you are doing, he or she really wants to know.
The initial session is used to gather information and detail about what brings a client to therapy.
The counsellor then discusses with the client the various approaches which may be appropriate.
This is also a good opportunity to raise any questions and concerns about the counsellor or process of therapy itself.
Depending on the issue, short-term therapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help a great deal in a very few sessions in the event of an immediate crisis. Longer term therapy on an open-ended basis may be need for more deeply entrenched issues.
It is worth noting that it may take a few sessions to build up the rapport and trust necessary for therapy to work.
An individual session lasts 60 minutes.
Effective therapy alleviates symptoms of emotional/psychological disturbances, reduces confusion and empowers a person to make their own effective choices and the decision to act upon them.
It is very important to work with a counsellor/therapist that you are comfortable with and feel you can trust in order to form a good therapeutic relationship. The level of trust and empathy between you and your counsellor is crucial to the success of therapy.
We adhere fully to the requirements of the Data Protection Act and the ethical framework set out by the SAC (Singapore Association of Counsellors) and APAC (Association for Psychotherapist and Counsellors). All information disclose during therapy is private and confidential except in extenuating circumstances where there is risk of serious harm to you or others.
We understand that it is not easy taking the first step, especially if one has no prior experience with therapy. Therefore, we hope to alleviate any uncertainty anyone may have about the process of therapy, and to address any concerns they may have with the therapist.
This is however, not a therapy session. Rather it is an opportunity to decide if therapy and your therapist is the right help for you.