Your healing zone:

Counselling

What is counselling?

Counselling is a searching human relationship where the client and the counsellor are committed to finding creative responses to the client's present difficulties and needs. Counselling incorporates giving time, attention and respect in a confidential relationship. It provides an opportunity to explore, to discover and to clarify ways of living more resourcefully towards greater well-being.

What you can expect from counselling

Unlike a friend or relative, a counseller is a professional who is trained to listen in an accepting and non-judgemental way. The counsellor encourages the client to express feelings openly and will not become burdened by them. Counselling is an ongoing process, prepackaged solutions are not given, but the client is helped to provide his/her own answers. In an environment of acceptance and trust the client is free to explore feelings and experiences that may be difficult or uncomfortable. As the client understands and is understood at a deep level, he or she may find the presenting difficulty dissolving or becoming less threatening. Often it takes time and perseverance to discover and to clarify more resourceful ways of living. Depending on the client's needs and wishes, he may decide that they require just one or more sessions, or a longer term commitment.

What about supervision?

Supervision is seen by IACT (the Irish Association for Counselling and Therapy) as vital to the process. All IACT members are properly qualified and are bound by the IACT code of ethics.

How much do sessions cost?

Counselling costs vary from reduced cost counselling (IR15 OR EUR20) to around IR40 (EUR50)

How do I contact a counsellor?

A client's first contact is usually by telephone: you could ask IACT for a recommendation/referal (We print a few relevant numbers at the bottom of this page). You may wish to ask the counsellor

• their area of specialisation
• their background training
• the length of experience he or she has in counselling work
• whether the counsellor is receiving supervision, with peers or from a more experienced counsellor
• the fee structure
• whether or not medical support is available, if applicable

The initial meeting

The client sets up an initial meeting where counsellor and client may discuss

• the client's needs and how the counsellor might help, the frequency of therapy , duration of therapy and the nature of payment .

Some useful numbers

• Counsellors throughout Ireland call IACT 01 2300061

Thanks to IACT for the above information