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Psychotherapy is a form of counselling whereby
the individual is encouraged and supported in expressing their
feelings and emotions in a safe,
caring environment. Psychotherapy is not advice
giving or teaching. Its core values are respect, impartiality
and integrity.
Integrative psychotherapy combines different theoretical
models of psychotherapy respecting that individuals may require
different types of help.
In psychotherapy there is an opportunity for the individual
to look honestly at their behaviour and lifestyle and to make
decisions supported by the psychotherapist on changes they
may wish to make.
Sometimes psychotherapy may involve working through painful
feelings or inner conflicts but the aim of the work is to
help the individual improve their relationship with themselves
and others. Psychotherapists are there to listen, support
and help the individual make the changes they believe necessary
themselves to improve the quality of their life.
Choosing a Psychotherapist
The key factors in a successful counselling relationship are
the skill of the therapist and whether you feel comfortable
with them. It is important that any counsellor or therapist
you see is a member of a recognised counselling organisation.
Is Psychotherapy for me?
We live in a busy, changing world and there are many different
types of experiences that are difficult for people to cope
with. Most of the time we get on with our lives but sometimes
we are faced with a situation that we do not, at that moment,
have the necessary resources to resolve satisfactorily.
In order to deal with these experiences we sometimes talk
to family and friends, but
occasionally we are unable to turn to those we would normally.It
could be that our difficulties need more help than our family
or friends can give us or that our difficulties may be related
to our family and friends. In these instances we may need
the help of a professional.
Some common reasons clients attend psychotherapists for include:
Anxiety
Depression
Relationship/ marital problems
Bereavement issues
Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
Unresolved difficulties from the past
Stress and feelings of inability to copeo
These are just some issues that people may have when coming
for counselling, you may also have other issues of your own
not listed above.
How many sessions you will need is very dependent on the
individual and the issues being worked on. Some clients make
a contract for a specific number of sessions while others
prefer an open-ended arrangement. It is best to discuss this
with your therapist.
What is the difference between Counselling and Psychotherapy?
Much of the work is very similar so there really is little
distinction between them. However some people find psychotherapy
can represent a deeper, more fundamental or involved process
of change if continued over a long period of time.
About Maura McCranor
Before commencing her training in Integrative Psychotherapy,
Maura worked for over ten years as a psychiatric nurse in
both Ireland and the UK and also as a nurse counsellor in
London.
She graduated in 2004 with a higher diploma in Integrative
Psychotherapy from UCC. Currently she is studying for her
Masters Degree in UCC. She is a student member of the Irish
Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP)
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