Counselling is one of the core services offered by HHMP. Your HHMP Doctor can refer you to an HHH
Counsellor. There are a variety of counselling services offered by Holdsworth House including Individual
Counselling, Career Counselling and Relationship Counselling. Please
contact us for more information.
Individual Counselling is always undertaken in a confidential setting, preferably with a trained
professional, for example a psychologist, who has a large range of skills to enable addressing many
different personal issues which can trouble people. Common reasons for seeking help can include feeling
unable to control moods, getting edgy, panicky, worrying too often or feeling dissatisfied for no obvious
reason, or not being able to sleep. Relationship issues or gambling, drinking, over-using drugs,
over-eating or smoking are also common reasons for seeking help. Sexual difficulties or trouble meeting
friends are other frequent difficulties brought to counselling as are work issues and old hurts and
traumas. A good counsellor should gather some thorough history initially to look for any other influences
a participant may have missed, then begin exploring your thoughts and feelings over a period of an hour
or perhaps slightly longer. Sessions will then continue if it appears benefit will be gained from them.
Usually, someone undergoing counselling should begin to feel they are making progress in the first
several sessions, though some may need a more long term approach if problems are longer standing.
Individual counselling helps address maladaptive patterns of thinking and behaviour, helping a
participant make changes to lifestyle that are beneficial to maintaining psychological wellbeing in the
future.
Career Counselling helps to identify sources of occupationally related confusion, stress or concern, breaking these up into
more manageable issues. Sometimes a change in career might emerge as being necessary through counselling, however often, making
changes in the existing workplace or skill levels might also be indicated as the ideal outcome. Occupational skills and abilities
are discussed in detail. More formal vocational suitability assessment may sometimes also be undertaken if requested. Coaching is
given in handling workplace relationships more effectively. Specific areas of interpersonal stress at work are reviewed and how best
to resolve these is discussed and resolved. Areas of other stress being caused in present workplace circumstances are also reviewed,
for example, environmental issues or workplace training-related needs that are not met. Participants are screened by the psychologist
conducting the counselling for excessive stress, and if early signs of psychological disturbance caused by unaddressed stress are
evident advice about seeking medical or legal assistance where necessary is provided. For participants contemplating career change,
assistance with networking and job search strategies is also offered.
Relationship Counselling helps address issues between partners which have reached a point where more objective discussion is
required before troubling incompatibilities are resolved. The goal of counselling is to reduce unpleasant, stress-causing conflict
and increase interpersonal contentment. One of the frequent goals of relationship counselling is to recognise no one is to 'blame'
but that the dynamics of interacting are what need work, from all parties involved, if change is to occur. Improving understanding of
everyone's personal traits and of how to achieve better communication based around this, usually helps improve relationships.
Structural changes also sometimes have to be made to routines, physical surrounds or other non-individual influences to alter the
context where inter-personal relationships are occurring on a day to day basis. The term relationship can include intimate
partners, family members, close friends and more, but most often, intimate couples seek relationship counselling. Different value
systems and social backgrounds are common influences on different assumptions about relating. Strained relationships become negative,
stressful and conflict-laden thanks to incompatible personal qualities which need better understanding and further consideration.
Communication blocks may cause emotional stalemates, needing an objective outsider to help with their resolution.
Related information on...
Relationship Counselling »
Depression Treatments & Psychological Therapies »
Psychotherapy »
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