What Can You Expect From Counselling?
The word 'counselling' can have a negative meaning for some people. Some people have even had a bad counselling experience in the past and are resistant to the process, which is understandable. Counselling is all about emotionally supporting you at a time when you may be struggling with challenging life experiences, in an ethical, safe and professional way. The therapy models and interventions that are used in counselling can vary between counsellors. Rachel will always advise you of any particular therapies she thinks may benefit your progress, and make sure that it fits with your beliefs and goals. Rachel uses an eclectic approach, where one therapy may work for one person, but not another, so you can be sure that she puts a lot of consideration and preparation into your sessions behind the scenes.
Therapy models Rachel practices include, but are not limited to:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Person-Centred Therapy
Solution Focused Therapy
Family Systems Therapy
Polyvagal Theory
Alternative Healing Therapies
Ethical Practice
Meeting with a stranger to discuss your very personal feelings puts anyone in a very vulnerable position and Rachel values the trust that clients place in her. Rachel is a registered Social Worker, guided by the ANZASW Code of Ethics, as well as ethical guidelines from her psychology and counselling studies. She maintains the highest standards of safe and informed practice. A counselling relationship is built on trust, and feeling comfortable and confident with the counsellor you have chosen. If a client feels that the counselling relationship is not a good fit, or if Rachel believes that they may benefit from a more specialist service, she will provide support in finding an alternative option. For children and teenagers, extra time is taken to explain the counselling process and guidelines around confidentiality, and to ensure they are a willing participant in the process.
Before Your First Counselling Session
Before your first session, Rachel will text and arrange a convenient time to call you, to get some basic details, get an idea about what is bringing you, your child or family to counselling, and to make sure she is the best fit to meet your counselling needs. You can also discuss any concerns you may have.
The Initial Session
The initial session is about getting to know you and establishing an overall picture about what is happening for you. A standard counselling contract outlining what you can expect from counselling is signed, and the limits of confidentiality are fully explained. We will discuss what you want to achieve from future counselling sessions, and what interventions and strategies are going to work for you.