Anyone who needs a little or a lot of helping sorting out their thoughts and feelings. We all have problems and sometimes we get stuck in them and the normal things we do to get unstuck don’t seem to be working. You might feel sad, anxious, angry of even nothing at all. Sometimes we get trapped thinking about the same things over and over again. In the past few years lots has been done to reduce the stigma and shame around mental health. If you are experiencing difficulties you are not alone. There has been steady increase in reported rates of depression and anxiety. Asking for help doesn’t mean your weak. We aren’t all experts on everything in our lives and sometimes life is just that difficult.
With Cairis Counselling our first aim to make a safe space where you can be you without fear of judgment or criticism. One of the biggest rules in counselling is client confidentiality. What you say in the room is held in the highest confidence. There are legal limits to confidentiality. Unless there is imminent risk to a person or a court orders a counsellors notes what you share stays in the room you shared it.
We talk about what you are currently experiencing. With precision and care we go through your story to understand you and your situation. Then we explore solutions to get you unstuck.
There is a wide variety of approaches to counselling. They all have their merits and some seem good for specific types of problems. I am influenced by the following:
In this approach we identify the problem spots in your story. The problem gets a name and we work with as if it something you have, not something you are. We look for the strengths that already exist in you and your relationships and we try to use. We put together a new story that helps you move forward.
A confusing name, but this approach recognizes that we have different parts to our personality and they aren’t always on the same page. We often have parts that act as unrelenting critics. Some are wounded and vulnerable, while some other do their best to keep us safe or do anything to relieve the pain we feel. IFS helps us identify the burdens these parts put on us and resolve them. Then we can function from our true healthy selves.
This approach is designed for couples but can be applies to other relationships. It seeks to understand the negative interaction pattern that develops between people to become emotionally out of sync. If we understand the pattern and can attune ourselves to each others emotional needs we can heal ruptured relationships.
Mindfulness is very popular right now. Clinical studies have established that a very simple meditative practice can significantly reduce your experience of stress and anxiety. It often works better than medication without medical side effects. I personally practice it, and it has been a helpful asset to my self-care.